Something Wicked This Way Comes
by silverfinch812
Summary: Rowan Jones and her fraternal twin sister, Arabella, come to Storybrooke for a change. Though Rowan believes she has no connection at all to Storybrooke, or any of the residents, she, in fact, does. And, the person she has this connection with is Regina Mills, who instantly recognizes her from Fairytale Land. Thus, Regina works to re-awaken the memory of the girl she loved so much.
1. Chapter 1

(Author's Note: This story takes place during Season 1. Haven't figured out EXACTLY when in Season 1 this story occurs, but I'll figure it out as it goes on! Also, the title and chapter titles are lines from "Macbeth." And, I've written 10 chapters so far, so, the faster you guys review, the faster I upload the rest of the chapters. Enjoy!)

**_Something Wicked this Way Comes: A Once Upon A Time Fan-Fic_**

**Chapter 1: "Double, Double, Toil and Trouble"**

Rowan sat in the passenger seat of her sister's car as they spotted a sign that read: "Welcome to Storybrooke". "I can't believe we're moving to a town with such a ridiculous name," Rowan said to her sister scathingly. Her sister—her twin sister, although they were as different as two twins could get—had somehow convinced her that they should move to Storybrooke, Maine. "I just have a good feeling about it!" Arabella had said cheerfully, unlike Rowan, who was perpetually mad at the world, from her anti-social behavior to the scowl on her face. "Besides, a change would be good!" _Yeah, ok, right. Good to HER_, Rowan thought. She enjoyed her gypsy-like lifestyle, selling her handmade jewelry and her art whenever she could. But, for some insane reason, her ridiculously optimistic twin had wanted to uproot their lives, and move to a small town in Maine, called "Storybrooke."

Rowan scowled harder, and resumed petting Nox, her black cat, who was the only living thing who loved her unconditionally, bad moods and all. "I think 'Storybrooke' is a cute name," said Arabella. She didn't understand why Rowan had to be such a sourpuss all the time. They were so different, despite being twins. Arabella was always bright and cheerful. Today, she wore a pink scoop-neck top with three-quarter length sleeves, white skinny jeans, and multi-colored glittery flats. She even curled her short blonde bob, so as to look her best for their new neighbors. Rowan, on the other hand, wore her pre-requisite dark outfit. Her sister had decided to wear dark skinny jeans tucked into black, high heeled thigh-high boots, and a black, shruggy, off-the-shoulder sweater. Even her nails were painted black. The only splash of color on her was shimmery green eyeshadow, but her eyes had of course been outlined with lots of black eyeliner, winged out at the corners. Even her cat, Nox, was black. _And so weird! _thought Arabella. The cat unnerved her, because she had never seen anything like him. Black, with barely perceptible black spots (they both thought he might be part Bengal), and six toes on each foot! He was also a rather large cat, weighing in at at least 17 pounds, and had golden yellow eyes. And he was extremely devoted to Rowan, of which the feeling was mutual. The only time Arabella saw her sister's scowl soften was when she looked at Nox.

She noticed how her sister's silver jewelry caught the sunlight. Lots of silver rings, silver hoop earrings, and a large vintage silver locket with a white rose cameo on the front. The locket held two pictures, two pictures of the things Rowan loved the most: her cat Nox, and their baby sister, Tessa, who had died in a car accident with their parents when she was only 16 years old. Arabella had never seen her sister cry, but that night she did. Not over their parents, though—Rowan had never gotten along well with them. No, she cried over Tessa, who was almost a mini-Rowan. That was one of the reasons Arabella suggested they move to Storybrooke. Arabella thought the change might help Rowan to not dwell on such painful memories. And, because, well, something just told her to.

Rowan was still hating life as they drove through Storybrooke. They were both 25, adults! So, why did Arabella have to drag her along on this "adventure"? Why couldn't she just leave her be? She scowled harder as the residents of Storybrooke eyed them suspiciously, even though Arabella was smiling cheerily at everyone. Rowan hugged Nox to her.

"What do you think, boy?" she asked, lifting him up so he could see out the window. He watched everything pass before him, blinked slowly once, and let out a mediocre "Mrrow" as if to say, "Eh, it's alright." _I guess it is alright, _Rowan thought.

"What a quaint little town!" Arabella said.

"The woods were nice," Rowan remarked, referring to the stretch of woods they passed, coming into Storybrooke. She loved woods and forests, and, if she had it her way, they would be living in a shack in the woods, instead of an apartment in town. _THAT would go over well with Arabella, _Rowan thought. _She's so prissy. But, she can blow it out her ass. _Rowan thought this with a smirk and planted a kiss on Nox's head, who responded with a purr.

Arabella looked over at her sister. "What are you smirking about?"

"Oh, just thinking of ways of causing mayhem and havoc," Rowan said with a wicked gleam in her eye.

Arabella was appalled. "Rowan! We just got here, and we need to make a good impression, and not cause ANY trouble—"

"Relax! I was just kidding…sort of…" Rowan was always amused at how flustered her twin could get. _Miss Goody two-shoes._

"Well, at least try to give this town a chance. I have a good feeling about it. Oh, look, here's our apartment!"

"Oh goody," Rowan said sarcastically as they pulled up to their rather small apartment complex. Arabella stopped the car, and giddily got out. Rowan, on the other hand, rolled her eyes, and lazily got out of the car, still holding Nox. She surveyed her surroundings. _Ok, it is kind of a nice town_, she thought, noting the many small stores and a diner. _And it's quiet_. Rowan loved the quiet. As she continued to look around, a gust of wind blew, and Rowan got a strange feeling in her stomach. Not a bad feeling, but not necessarily a good one. _Would I know a good feeling if I felt one, though? _It was one of those feelings you get when you're anticipating seeing a long lost friend. What made it strange, though, was the fact that Rowan didn't know anyone in Storybrooke, nor did she have any long lost friends. _I don't have any friends, period…._ Despite this thought, something gnawed at the back of Rowan's mind, something that made her think of a friend, a person she loved as much as Nox and Tessa, long, long, ago. But, she couldn't recall a face or a name. With a scowl, she pushed that feeling away, and proceeded to help her twin unpack the car.

Emma and Mary Margaret opened their apartment door in time to see their new neighbors moving into the apartment across the hall from theirs. Emma noticed how the two girls were starkly different. One was cute and petite with a blonde bob, blue eyes, and a fashionably bright outfit, complete with a cheery smile. The other girl, however, towered over her brightly-clad counterpart in thigh-high high heeled , wore a dark outfit, and had almost waist-length black hair, cut in fashionable layers. Where her counterpart had a cheery smile, this one appeared to wear a permanent scowl. _Wow, this'll be an interesting living arrangement, _Emma thought.

"Oh, new neighbors! Welcome to Storybrooke!" Mary-Margaret said warmly. The blonde turned around and beemed at Mary-Margaret. "Hi there! I'm Arabella, and this is my twin sister, Rowan."

Emma gaped. "You guys are twins?!" She had never seen two twins so different.

The girl named Arabella giggled. " Yeah, that's generally the reaction we get. But, we ARE fraternal twins. Rowan is older by two minutes," she said, nodding towards the other girl, who stood there, looking annoyed, with a big box of books in her arms. Arabella noticed the sour look on her twin's face.

"Sorry, she's kind of anti-social," Arabella told them, apologizing. Emma noticed the other girl glare at the blonde. _Yeah, she's anti-something, _Emma thought.

"Oh, it's okay, I'm not offended," Mary-Margaret said, smiling warmly at the girl named Rowan, who seemed more interested in the black cat at her feet. Emma noticed the girl named Arabella roll her eyes.

"Oh Rowan, can't you at least pretend to be friendly?"

Rowan's gaze slowly shifted to her twin. "I would be more friendly if you would hurry up and open the apartment door so I can put this goddamn box down."

Emma had to hide a smile. Despite the rude tone, the statement was kind of funny, in a frank sort of way. Mary-Margaret seemed slightly taken aback, while Arabella appeared slightly flustered as she unlocked and opened their apartment door. Rowan brushed past, still not acknowledging Mary-Margaret or Emma, and disappeared inside. The black cat followed, and Emma did a double-take. _Did that cat have spots? And extra toes?_

Arabella turned and looked at them. "Sorry again for my twin's anti-social behavior. Don't let it put you off. We'd love to have you over for dinner sometime, so we can all get to know each other."

"That sounds great! I'd love to chat more, but we both have to get to work. If you need anything, feel free to knock, anytime," Mary-Margaret told her. After the girl Arabella disappeared inside, Emma and Mary-Margaret headed out. Turning to Mary-Margaret, Emma said, "I don't know about you, but I have a feeling that if that Rowan girl and Madame Mayor ever met, they'd be best friends."

(Author's Note: Intriguing, no?)


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble**

Rowan and Arabella managed to unpack most of their belongings, though they needed more furniture items.

"You know, we did pass by that store called 'Mr. Gold's' on the way in. I think it's a pawn shop. They might have some lamps and tables, and whatnot," Rowan proposed.

"Oh no, pawn shops are so shady! Aren't most of the things in there stolen?" Arabella assumed.

"Ara, we're in Storybrooke, Maine. What's the likelihood that anything in there is stolen? People probably just hocked their stuff to pay some bills. Happens a lot…" Rowan told her.

"Alright, we'll go," Arabella concluded. Rowan grabbed her purse, a bohemian style bag, made of alternating scraps of shiny black and midnight blue fabric, covered in tiny brass bells. She walked over to Nox, who was lounging on a small cat tree, one of the pieces of furniture that Rowan insisted on bringing, and gave him a kiss on the head, and a scratch under his chin.

"See you later, handsome," Rowan quietly said, smiling warmly, and then walked out the door with Arabella.

Arabella didn't like the look of the store called "Mr. Gold's", although Rowan seemed fascinated by it, eagerly wandering around.

"Can I help you, dearies?" Arabella heard behind her, and jumped. The man who must be Mr. Gold gave her the creeps, but she wasn't sure why. There was something dark about him, and he reminded her of an imp.

"Oh, um, well, yes," Arabella stuttered. "My twin and I," she said, gesturing to Rowan, who seemed to have become captivated by a grandfather clock, "just moved here, and we sort of need more pieces to furnish our apartment with, like some tables and stuff."

"Ah, I think I may be able to help you," Mr. Gold told her, leading her towards a particularly nice side table. Just then, the bell above the door to the store jingled, as a woman with short dark brown hair walked in. She was wearing a suit, so Arabella assumed she was someone important. Then, Arabella noticed the look on her twin's face. Rowan had noticed the woman, breaking her gaze from the grandfather clock, and was actually grinning. _Oh my God, _thought Arabella. _She's seriously grinning, albeit a bit of a demented grin, but a grin nonetheless! What is going on?_

The woman noticed Rowan, and, for a split second, appeared taken aback. "Oh, hello. You're new here," she said, approaching Rowan, who was still grinning. To Arabella, the woman had a look in her eyes as though the only person she could see at the moment was Rowan. "I'm Regina Mills," she said, holding her hand out for Rowan to shake. "And you are?"

"Rowan. Rowan Jones," Arabella heard her sister say. And, as their hands started to meet in a friendly handshake, Arabella jumped as she saw a purple spark appear between their hands, and the air gained a slightly tingly feel to it.

_There she is! _Something in the back of Rowan's mind screamed. But, she had no idea who this woman was. She was wearing a dark suit, and had short dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, and had a serious expression on her face. Rowan's face, on the other hand, was hurting. _Am I grinning? Why the hell am I grinning? _She hadn't grinned in almost forever, so she had no idea why it was happening now, and why it happened when this complete stranger walked in. Her stomach was fluttering, and there was something gnawing at the back of her mind again. She also had the urge to throw her arms around this woman, and give her a big hug. _What the fuck?! Am I losing it? _Rowan saw that the woman noticed her, and appeared slightly taken aback. _Oh God, she thinks I'm nuts, _Rowan thought. _But, why do I care? _Then, this woman approached her, with a small smile on her face. "Oh, hello, you're new here." She was looking at Rowan as though Rowan was the only person on the planet. "I'm Regina Mills," she said, holding her hand out for Rowan to shake. "And you are?"

Rowan's mind was reeling at the name "Regina," but she had absolutely no idea why. She barely got out her answer, "Rowan. Rowan Jones," and, right as their hands were about to meet, Rowan felt a small shock, a zap, and the air tingled with what felt like magic.

Regina entered Mr. Gold's store, to talk to him about a recent deal they had made. When she saw the girl dressed in black, with a long mass of pitch black hair, dark eyes, and pale skin, she was slightly taken aback, both by the sighting, and because the girl's scowl had disappeared to be replaced with a very rare grin that she hadn't seen in what seemed like forever.

_Oh my God. It's her, it's really her! She actually found me!_ Regina thought, as her stomach fluttered. And, it appeared that the girl somehow remembered her. Regina walked towards her, pushing Mr. Gold and the deal to the back of her mind, as, at that moment, all that mattered was the girl, the beautiful, haunting girl, who Regina had missed so much. She felt a small smile play across her lips, and composed herself enough to say, "Oh. Hello. You're new here." _Yes, of course she's new here. You didn't send her to Storybrooke when you enacted the curse. You sent her somewhere else, in hopes that she would find you one day, like she promised all those years ago. _"I'm Regina Mills," she said, holding out her hand. "And you are?" She knew who the girl was, at least in fairytale land. She even had on green eyeshadow. _Of course it would be green, _Regina thought. She didn't know what the girl's name had become in this world, though.

"Rowan. Rowan Jones." And, right when Rowan's hand was about to clasp Regina's, she felt a zap, a small jolt, and the air tingled with magic.

Regina had found her. They had found each other.

Standing in front of her, was the Wicked Witch of the West.

(Author's Note: Bet you weren't expecting that last bit, huh? I didn't state it in the description of the story, that the character I was bringing in was the Wicked Witch of the West, because I wanted it to be a suprise. And, I felt like it would give too much away, or at least what I have planned for the story overall. I know this chapter was a bit shorter, but they'll get longer, I promise. P.S. Can you guess who Arabella is?)


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Aroint thee, Witch!**

The evil queen was taking her daily ride in her carriage, past the enchanted forest, when she noticed a large cloud of black smoke, starting to rise up over the trees.

"Stop the carriage," she commanded, and promptly got out. Something was wrong. There had never been a fire in the enchanted forest. And, although she was the evil queen, this was her kingdom, and no one else was allowed to cause any sort of mayhem except for her. She had to find out what was going on.

The evil queen disappeared in a swirl of purple and black smoke.

She appeared near a flaming shack. She waved her hand, and the fire quickly went out, but not before it was able to do extensive damage to the roof, and a small side garden, where a bunch of plants had been burned, black as death. She noticed a small net covering some small thrashing creature. With another wave of her hand, the small net went soaring through the air and the creature it was covering, a large black tom cat, darted into the woods.

The evil queen's gaze shifted to the small group of children, who were now cowering in her presence. They were obviously the culprits. The queen stalked over to them.

"What is your reason for doing this?" she asked them, anger dripping off of every word. She noticed one of the children balling up his fists, mustering up the courage to answer her.

"Because the girl who lives there is the Wicked Witch of the West, and her cat is a demon!" he said defiantly.

"SO?" she shouted. "You could have burned down the entire forest!" The evil queen was lived. Who did these children think they were? And that one little urchin speaking so defiantly to her?

"You must be punished." Her words dripped venom, but before she could do anything, there was a loud "POP" and none other than Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, appeared in front of her, shielding the children.

"You will do no such thing!" Glinda said, in all of her sparkly glory. The evil queen sneered, and was about to retort when she heard a shout behind her.

"My house!"

The queen spun around, only to see a girl with green skin, clad in black, and obviously furious. It was the Wicked Witch of the West herself, Elphaba Thropp. _Oh, this should be interesting_, the evil queen thought to herself. She watched as the Wicked Witch came stomping towards them, angry gaze fixed on the children.

"What have you done?!" she shouted at them. It was almost a growl, complete with bared teeth. The children shrieked and scattered, and the queen smirked at how much fear the Wicked Witch struck into the children. _I've just met her, and I already like her. _

The Wicked Witch dashed towards the scattered children. "I should boil all of you in my cauldron!" she yelled furiously. The queen was highly amused by all of this.

"Stop, stop, leave them alone, they're just children!" Glinda the Good Witch shouted, moving in front of the Wicked Witch. The Wicked Witch stopped in front of Glinda, staring her down.

"Just children?!" she said incredulously. "They almost burned down my house!" she yelled, pointing to her shack with a charred and blackened roof. "And, my garden!" she exclaimed, noticing the charred remains of the plants. "My Venus flytraps! They destroyed my Venus flytraps!"

The Wicked Witch was seething and the evil queen could feel the anger emanating from her.

"They didn't mean it," Glinda said. The queen saw the Wicked Witch sputter, obviously at a loss for words. "Let them answer to their parents for what they've done," Glinda told her.

"Their parents?! Their parents are half of the problem! THEY are the ones who practically encourage their kids to come to my home, and constantly harass me, throwing rotten eggs at my house, and then they have the nerve to get angry at ME when I hex those little bastards!" The evil queen cracked a smile when the witch referred to the children as "little bastards."

"Don't call them that!" said a shocked and appalled Glinda. "And their parents must be forgiven. They're just frightened of you because your different. You know, because of your green skin."

"Oh, right, because I chose to have green skin. I can't help that I was born like this!" The witch lifted her chin, and stared down at the other girl. "Of course, you were born perfect. Mother and father loved you. At least they got one twin who looked normal." The evil queen almost gasped. So, Glinda the Good Witch of the North and the Wicked Witch of the West were twins! She never would have guessed it. She heard talk of the two girls being siblings, but no one ever told her they were twins. _No wonder the Wicked Witch hates Glinda so much! One twin is blonde with a peaches and cream complexion, while the other has black hair and green skin. _

"That's not true! Mother and father loved you, they just had a weird way of showing it!" But, the Wicked Witch was already walking away, towards what was left of her house and garden, never acknowledging the evil queen.

Elphaba looked at the blacked remains of her Venus flytraps, and bent down to gently caress one of the smoking pods, the mouth of the plant open, and curled, as if in a silent scream. They were her friends, and now they were dead. She heard someone walk over, and stand next to her.

"I saw the black smoke from my carriage," she heard a somewhat husky voice say. "But, by the time I reached your home, and put the fire out, the roof and garden were destroyed. They trapped your cat in the net, but I released him." Elphaba turned and finally saw who was standing next to her. It was the evil queen herself. She wore a fancy hat, and her dark, curled hair, was gathered to the side, in a very coiffed side pony-tail. Her jacket had a cape and was mainly dark purple with black designs, silver buttons, and gloves with a similar pattern, only in red, like flames. She wore leather pants, and leather knee-high high heeled boots, and her lipstick was a deep shade of dark red, and her eyelids were done in a smoky style. Overall, she looked very alluring and regal.

"Your majesty, I didn't notice you were here," Elphaba started to bow, but the queen stopped her.

"No need to bow. We're…equals," she said with a smile.

"Oh, um, okay," Elphaba said, straightening herself. "Thank you, for trying to save my home."

"Of course, my dear," said the queen, flashing a grin that, to anyone else but Elphaba, would still be menacing and crazy. "I wanted to punish those children for what they did, but your…twin got in my way."

Elphaba scowled. "Yes, she has always been good at things like that." Just then, Elphaba felt something brush against her legs. It was her black cat, Nox, with a large dead snake in his mouth, which he dropped at her feet, and looked very proud of himself.

"Clever boy, did you kill that snake all by yourself?" Elphaba said, kneeling down to give Nox a kiss and a scratch under the chin. Nox continued to look proud, giving Elphaba a head bump, pleased that he made his mistress happy, and then proceeded to rub against the legs of the evil queen, who bent down to scratch his head.

"I think he's thanking you for freeing him," Elphaba said, standing up. "I hate when townsfolk, especially kids, are cruel to him just because he's a black cat, with six toes, and spots. They think he's some kind of demon in disguise," Elphaba said, shaking her head.

"Well, he's a very handsome cat," the queen told her, looking at Nox affectionately. Elphaba had heard stories of how cruel and ruthless the queen was, yet she was being sweet to Nox. _And she's been kind to me so far, _Elphaba thought. "I'm sorry about your home," the queen said, gently touching Elphaba on the shoulder. Elphaba looked solemnly at her burned home. _Where am I going to live now? _She thought.

"Why don't you come live with me?" the queen proposed suddenly, as though she had read Elphaba's mind. Elphaba looked at her, looked at the grin on her face. _Everyone says she's crazy, and cruel, and evil. But, I'm the Wicked Witch of the West. She's not my enemy. If anything, she could be my ally._

"I…well…why not. Let me just go get my stuff…..If I have any stuff left," Elphaba said with a scowl. She went to move past the queen, but the queen stopped her.

"No need. Live with me, and you can have anything your heart desires," she said, with a wicked grin, and an equally wicked gleam in her eye. Elphaba's scowl broke into an equally wicked grin. _I like this woman. _The queen put her arm around Elphaba, and started to lead her away, with Nox in tow, when Glinda appeared in front of them.

"No! This is not happening!" Glinda protested.

"Yes it is," the queen said.

"Where do you propose I live?" Elphaba asked, scowling at her twin.

"Come live with me!" Glinda suggested. Elphaba looked at the queen, and then looked at her sister.

"You've never wanted me to live with you before," Elphaba said suspiciously, still scowling.

"Well, I would rather you live with me, than with the evil queen," Glinda told her.

"Oh really? Rather? What if she hadn't offered me a place to live? Would you still want me to live with you?" Elphaba asked incredulously. "And, I didn't see you stopping those kids! Besides, do you really want your WICKED twin living with you? My, what would the townsfolk think?" Elphaba said with a sneer.

"It would be better than living with HER!" Glinda said. Elphaba was becoming more and more angry at her sister's lack of respect for the queen.

"She's the Evil Queen. I'm the Wicked Witch. Frankly, I could use an ally."

"So, its settled," the queen said. "She's coming with me." The queen tightened her grip around Elphaba's shoulders. "Now stand aside before I make you."

Glinda's eyes grew wide, and Elphaba knew she didn't have the guts to challenge the queen. Glinda relented, and stepped aside, not looking at Elphaba. Elphaba felt a twinge of pain and hurt, but quickly pushed it aside, as the queen lead her through the forest, and to her waiting carriage.

(Author's Note: If you didn't already figure it out, the Evil Queens outfit is the one she wore in the episode with Hansel and Gretel. I did my best to describe it, although I'm horrible at describing outfits in stories, unless its an outfit that I've come up with myself. Anyway, this chapter was a bit longer, and they're going to get longer as they go on. I've handwritten about ten chapters, and I'm typing up Chapter 4 at the moment. I know I'm uploading them pretty quickly, but there is a reviewer in particular *waves* who seems to really like the story so far. You know who you are! *waves again* Thanks for reading! Again, review, review, review!)

(P.S. Oh, you guys are really going to like seeing the relationship develop between Regina/The Evil Queen, and Rowan/Elphaba, both in fairytale land and in Storybrooke. I'm really enjoying writing their relationship.)


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Fair is Foul and Foul is Fair**

The minute Rowan felt the zap, she yanked her hand away. _What the fuck?! What just happened? _She kept thinking. It wasn't the small shock you experience when there's static electricity. It was more than that, but Rowan couldn't explain it. Rowan glanced up at Regina, but found that the mayor didn't seem all that concerned by the small zap.

"Sorry," Rowan said. "You shocked me," she said with a nervous laugh. "Let's try this again." And they clasped their hands in a handshake. Regina's hand was warm against Rowan's, and, again, she got that gnawing feeling in the back of her mind. She almost felt like she was experiencing some kind of déjà vu moment, but she knew that she had never met this woman before. _If I've never met her, then why does she feel so familiar?_

Arabella approached the woman named Regina Mills, slightly in shock seeing Regina and Rowan shaking hands. _Rowan has never shaken anyone's hand_, Arabella thought. _In fact, she pretty much hates touching and being touched. The only human she's ever been affectionate towards was Tessa. _At the same time, Arabella felt a twinge of jealousy. Their whole lives, Arabella had been the one people paid attention to, and approached, while Rowan was pretty much avoided. This made Arabella walk right up to the mayor, and thrust out her hand.

"Hi there! I'm Arabella Jones! I'm Rowan's twin," she said, with a dazzling grin. She watched as Regina slowly turned, a look of mild annoyance on her face. Arabella almost allowed her grin to faulter.

"Hello. I'm Regina Mills," she said, finally clasping Arabella's hand in a handshake, albeit a very firm handshake. "I'm the mayor of Storybrooke."

"Oh, wow, I'm so pleased to meet you, Mayor Mills!" Arabella told her, enthusiastically shaking Regina's hand. "We just moved here and we already love your town! It's so quaint, and charming, and and…" Arabella noticed that, although Regina was being polite, she was also wearing a look of mild annoyance, one eyebrow raised in a questioning way. This was not how she had been looking at Rowan. _What am I doing wrong? _Arabella thought. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that her twin was silently glaring at her. Arabella was still shaking Regina's hand, while mentally grasping at straws.

It was Regina who broke the handshake first, and Arabella caught her discreetly rubbing her hand on her black slacks. _Oh god, my palm must have been sweaty! _Arabella thought, convinced that this must have been why Mayor Mills seemed annoyed. Regina cleared her throat slightly, still looking at Arabella with mild annoyance. "Well, I'm glad you like Storybrooke. What brings you to this town, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Oh, you know, just needed a fresh start. Storybrooke had such a cute name, and I just had a really good feeling about the town."

"I see," Regina said. "So, the both of you needed a fresh start?" she asked, eyeing Rowan as though addressing the question to her. Arabella answered "Yes" while Rowan responded with "NO." Arabella looked at Rowan, annoyed, while Rowan just glared harder at her twin.

"You didn't want to come here?" Regina asked, turning to Rowan, with her eyebrows raised. Though the mayor seemed annoyed just a moment ago, Arabella noticed she was looking at Rowan with an expression of mild amusement.

"Well…to be perfectly honest, I was pretty content with how my life was before," Rowan told her, somewhat nervously. Arabella knew that this came from the fact that no one had ever paid as much attention to Rowan as Regina was paying to her now.

"But, you came regardless," Regina said, tilting her head to the side, slightly. "Why?"

Rowan seemed flustered by the amount of attention. "I don't know. I guess it's a twin thing," Rowan told her, leaving out the fact that Rowan had also gotten a feeling, a nagging feeling, that she should follow Arabella to Storybrooke. "But," she added, "I do kind of like it here. It's quiet, and I like all of the wooded areas." _Oh god, I hope I'm not horribly insulting her!_

The mayor's mouth twisted into a small, amused smile. "Well, maybe it'll grow on you." Rowan caught a hint of warmth in the mayor's eyes. _This is strange. Why would someone I've just met look at me with such affection?_

"Ah, madame mayor. To what do I owe this pleasure?" Rowan and Arabella heard Mr. Gold say, as he limped over to them. He stopped next to Arabella, who looked creeped out, while Rowan had no particular feeling towards him. The mayor turned to Mr. Gold. "Well, originally I came here to see you about something…important," she said, emphasizing the word "important." "However, that can wait for now." She turned to Rowan. "I have a proposition for you."

Rowan was taken aback. "Um, okay…" she said hesitantly.

"As you know, I'm the mayor of this town. I'm also a single mother. So, I need a personal assistant, and someone who can be a bit of a secretary."

"So…you want me?" Rowan asked, catching on quickly.

"Such a clever girl, catching on so quickly." Rowan was almost upset by this, thinking that Regina had meant this in a sarcastic way. But all Rowan saw was warmth in Regina's eyes. _She's praising me! _Rowan realized. _But why? _No one had ever praised Rowan, not even her own parents. Arabella was the one who was constantly being praised, while Rowan was always ignored or even put down. The mayor had turned the tables, though. Now Arabella was being ignored, and treated with annoyance, while Rowan was being praised and paid attention to. But, while this was making her feel somewhat giddy on the inside, she still kept wondering why this complete stranger was treating her like she was so special. Something in the back of her mind told her it had to do with love. This, though, really bothered Rowan. _Why would she love me? And why would she think that?_

"So, what are your thoughts?" Regina asked. Something in the back of Rowan's mind was screaming at her to say yes, to take the job. And, Rowan almost said yes, almost shouted yes, but because she didn't understand why her subconscious mind was telling her to take a job with the mayor of Storybrooke, she said the next best thing she could think of.

"Can I sleep on it?" Rowan was surprised by Regina letting out a small chuckle. "Of course, dear. But, I expect an answer by tomorrow." Rowan nodded, slightly in shock by the mayor calling her "dear." Regina smiled warmly at Rowan before turning to Mr. Gold. "Mr. Gold," she said, and they walked to the back of the store to discuss some important issue.

Arabella was in shock. _Did that actually happen? Did the mayor seriously give my anti-social sister a job? She's never even had a real job! All she's ever done is sold her jewelry and her art. She doesn't know how to have a real job! _And Arabella was still offended by being ignored by the mayor, while her misfit sister was being praised and paid attention to. _This is not how this works! _Arabella grabbed her sister, and started to leave.

"What are you doing? We still need some furniture!" said a flabbergasted Rowan.

"We'll come back later," said Arabella, dragging her sister out the door.

Regina watched Rowan get dragged out the door by the annoying girl named Arabella. Regina resisted rushing towards them, and yanking Rowan back, while yelling at that Arabella girl to never handle Rowan in that way ever again. _Even I was gentle with her, when I took her to my carriage all those years ago. _Regina had just found the girl, and now her annoying blonde twin was taking her away. _I'll see her tomorrow though, _Regina had to remind herself.

When Regina realized Rowan didn't remember her, and didn't appear to come to Storybrooke of her own accord, Regina made up the personal assistant/secretary job. _I'll be able to have her close to me, until she finally does remember. _She knew Rowan was puzzled by the praise and attention she was giving her. _Of course, _thought Regina. _She doesn't remember the bond we had. _Regina felt a small stab of pain, but quickly pushed it down into the depths of her soul. _I WILL have her back, and I'll make her remember. _

She turned back to Mr. Gold. "You recognized her," Mr. Gold said. "But she has no memory of you.

"I think she has some memory. I could see it in her eyes. But she doesn't understand it." Regina had a slightly pained look in her eyes.

"My, my, my, madame mayor," said Mr. Gold. "After all this time, you still love her."

Regina looked shocked. "How did you know?"

"Well, you did a good job of trying to hide it, but your eyes gave you away," he said. "They've always given you away."

Rowan laid in her bed that night, in a plain black t-shirt and green cotton shorts, unable to sleep. She had tossed and turned so much that she had kicked her blankets off of her. Nox was curled up on the pillow next to the one she was laying her head on. She stared at the ceiling, wracking her mind over Regina and today's events. Rowan tried desperately to recall Regina's face. _I know she's not a friend of mom and dad. _She also wasn't anyone Tessa knew. Rowan felt her throat tighten. After all of these years, she still became emotional when she thought of Tessa. Tiny, petite Tessa, with the same pitch black hair as Rowan, the same dark clothing style, the same artistic and creative abilities. She had eyes that were almost yellow, though they started out as hazel earlier in life. Tessa, her little sister, her best-friend, her "mini-me." _Mom and dad even disliked her because she was so much like me. _Rowan always believed Tessa was supposed to be her twin, not Arabella. That's how similar they were.

Again, Rowan pushed her sorrow away, and rolled over, pulling the covers up over her head, which was how she always liked to sleep. It made her feel safe. She felt Nox snuggle closer to her head, as Rowan drifted off into a fitful sleep.

_ Flashes of Tessa, but Tessa with green skin, wearing a black dress, black-and-white striped stockings, and her favorite ruby red shoes. 'I'm going to call myself the Wicked Witch of the East! I'll be like you, and we'll cause trouble together!' She threw her arms around Rowan's neck, although Rowan kept thinking that her name was something else._

_ There were more flashes. Extreme anger at her twin. 'Those shoes were the last thing I have of my sister! And you gave them away!' The smell of smoke and a burned home. 'Live with me, and you can have anything your heart desires.' A woman grinning at her, a woman with the face of Mayor Regina Mills. The woman's arm around her, and Rowan feeling comforted. Flashes of being in a castle, with the woman with Regina's face. Both of them in equally elaborate outfits. Rowan saw both of them on a balcony, both of them with the same scowl, as they looked at someone down below. Rowan with green skin. More flashes. The name 'Dorothy.' Growing hatred. Resting her head on the shoulder of this Regina-like woman who Rowan somehow knew was the queen. Then, standing next to her, sorrow almost choking her, as she clung to Nox, and jumped into a black hole, twin sister in tow._

Rowan jolted awake, her heart pounding. None of what she had dreamed made any sense to her. The images made her horribly sad, but also frightened. Sitting up, she took a few deep breaths to try to calm herself. Nox was now awake, and was climbing into her lap, purring, aware of her distress. _I'm not going back to sleep. That dream was way too upsetting. _With that, Rowan got out of bed, Nox jumping down to join her. She rifled through her art supplies, deciding that some painting and drawing would not only calm her nerves, but keep her awake until morning. Grabbing the paints, brushes, charcoal, oil pastels, and canvasses and sketch pads she wanted, she went out into the living room, set up her workspace, complete with a sheet on the floor, her easel, and a jar of mineral spirits, and proceeded to paint, covering the first canvas with black paint, and then splattering it with red. _Red like apples, _Rowan thought, unsure of where that particular thought came from.

(Author's Note: This is personally one of my favorite chapters, because you get to see some of the dynamic between Rowan, Arabella, and Regina, and you get to hear some of Regina's thoughts about Rowan, and how she feels about Arabella, and what not. Hopefully, you like this chapter, too. I'm going to try to type up chapter 5, and upload it either today or tomorrow. I'm heading back to college, and I need to pack over the next two days, since I move into my dorm on Sunday. So, if I don't post any new chapters over the next few days, thats why. Just stick with me, and be patient, because the first week is always super hectic. Happy reading!)


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Hover Through the Fog and Filthy Air**

Regina walked up to the door of what was Rowan and Arabella's apartment, a basket of apples in her arms. Before knocking, Regina took a moment to compose herself. _I can't scoop her up in a hug when I see her. _Regina pushed any loving thoughts out of her mind. _I'm coming here as the mayor, and her future employer. _When Regina knew she had her emotions under control, she held onto the basket of apples with one arm, and knocked on the door with the other.

The door opened, and there stood Rowan, scowling face and all. Regina took in her attire. A slightly large gray t-shirt, and faded cut-off denim shorts. Her long black hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, her bangs pinned back, and she was fresh-faced and barefoot. She also looked as though she had been up all night.

"Miss Jones," Regina said, putting on her best "mayor" grin. "Good morning."

"It's morning?" Rowan asked, a look of mild confusion playing over her face.

_God, she's cute when she's confused, _Regina thought. Again, she pushed away the warm feelings. "Yes, Miss Jones, it is indeed morning." Regina waited for an invitation into the apartment. "May I come in?" she finally asked.

"Oh! Right, yes, come in," Rowan answered, breaking out of whatever trance she was in. _Poor thing must not have slept well last night. She looks exhausted, _Regina thought as she stepped into Rowan's apartment. It was sparsely decorated, with a small bookshelf against one wall, a small sofa, and a small dining room table. In a small area off to the right, in front of the island/bar in their kitchen, was an easel with a blank canvas, and around the easel were scattered tubes of paint, a jar of paint brushes, and a pallet of paint set on a stool Rowan must have been sitting on.

"Sorry about the mess," she heard Rowan say, stepping up next to her. Regina looked over at her, one eyebrow raised. It wasn't a look of annoyance, but a look of mild amusement, the same look she would often give the Wicked Witch when she caught on to some sort of devious plan the witch had concocted. Regina saw a flash of recognition in Rowan's eyes, but then it was replaced with a mixture of embarrassment and confusion.

"I've been up all night, painting," said Rowan with a shrug. Regina opened her mouth to respond when she felt something brush against her leg. She almost jumped. When she looked down, and saw it was a black cat, the exact same black cat she had met all of those years ago, she was mildly surprised. _Well, well, well, Nox is still around. _Regina wasn't sure how old the cat had to be now. _And it seems as though he remembers me. _Nox wound around her legs, purring, and occasionally giving a loud "Mow!" as if to say, "I haven't seen you in forever!" Regina had to resist putting down the basket of apples, and petting Nox. She put on a mask of mild indifference, and looked up at Rowan with one raised eyebrow.

Regina almost burst into laughter when she saw the astonished expression on Rowan's face, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open. "Is there something the matter, Miss Jones? You look as though you're trying to catch flies." Regina hoped Rowan caught the hint of playful teasing in her voice.

"I …um…he…he usually hates people…." Rowan said, staring down at her cat with a confused expression. Before Regina could comment, Arabella came bursting into the room, wearing a gray pencil skirt, with a matching blazer, a powder pink blouse, and black kitten heel shoes. Her blonde bob was curled again, and she was putting in a pair of dangly pearl earrings.

"Mayor Mills! What a pleasant surprise!" Arabella greeted her enthusiastically. Regina almost sneered. _Does this girl have an off button?_

Arabella stopped, noticing the basket of apples Regina was still holding. "Oh, you brought apples! How lovely!"

"Yes, I brought apples," Regina almost snapped. "Would you please take them from me? The basket is quite heavy." Regina heard the annoyance in her own voice, and hoped that this Arabella girl heard it, too.

"Oh, sure!" Regina could tell the girl heard the annoyance in her voice, and saw the flustered expression on her face as she took the basket of apples from her. Regina looked at Rowan out of the corner of her eye, and noticed that she was smirking. Arabella seemed oblivious.

"So, what can we do for you today, Mayor Mills," Arabella said, as she walked around the island, into the kitchen, and placed the basket of apples on the counter-top. She finally noticed the mess in front of her. "Oh my god, Rowan," was all she said. Rowan scowled at her twin. "What did you do?" Arabella asked.

"I was painting, obviously," Rowan said, scowling harder and crossing her arms. Arabella heaved a frustrated sigh, and looked at the mayor. "I'm so sorry, Mayor Mills, my twin gets a little carried away sometimes," Arabella said. "Perks of living with an artist, you know."

"I couldn't sleep," Rowan told her twin. Regina could see Rowan's anger growing, and she wanted to slap Arabella. _Still acting as though you're better than your sister, _Regina thought. Even now, she wanted to wring the girl's neck. _I should have gotten rid of you in the beginning. _She resisted putting her arm around Rowan's shoulders. Instead, she noticed the finished paintings propped up against the wall, and walked over to them. Some were paint splatter paintings, the canvas painted black, with red splatters and drippings, as though depicting a murder. Others were dark, fantastical scenes, two of them depicting an evil queen and a green skinned witch. Regina was almost taken aback. _She's painted us! _She turned back to Rowan.

"Did you paint all of these last night?" Rowan nodded. "Like I said, I couldn't sleep." She came up next to Regina, looking at the paintings. "I'm not sure, myself, what they're of, but I just had those images in my mind."

"Well, they're quite good," Regina told her. "I like them." She saw Rowan smile. "Thanks." They stared at each other for a moment, before Arabella cleared her throat.

"Rowan, the coffee is done brewing," Arabella said. Rowan sighed, brushing past the mayor. "Mayor Mills, would you like a cup of coffee?" Rowan asked, opening a cabinet to grab a coffee mug.

"Please, call me Regina," the mayor said warmly to Rowan. "And, no, thank you, I've already had coffee this morning."

"Oh, ok…Regina," Rowan said, with a small smile, before filling her mug with coffee.

"So, Regina," Arabella began to say, but when she saw the look the mayor was giving her, she started over. "So, Mayor Mills, what brings you here, other than the apples, of course, which we absolutely love." She started to pour herself some coffee, as Rowan took a container of soymilk out of the refrigerator.

"It's my duty as mayor to greet new residents of Storybrooke," Regina said with a small shrug. She looked at Rowan and cocked an eyebrow. "Lactose intolerant?" she asked, as Rowan finished pouring the soymilk into her coffee. Rowan looked confused for a moment, then realized Regina was referring to the soymilk.

"Oh, yes. Dairy just destroys me. Been that way my whole life." _Ah, so, even in this world, she's allergic to dairy. _Regina remembered how the girl had been sensitive to certain foods when she lived in the castle, clutching her stomach when she consumed something she was sensitive to. Regina had even concocted a special potion for the witch to take so that she wouldn't become ill after eating certain foods.

Arabella pretended her sister hadn't said anything. "Well, that's very gracious of you, Mayor Mills. I think I might use the apples in a pie."

"Actually, I was going to use them in a still life," Rowan muttered, taking a drink of her coffee. Regina felt Nox gently headbutt her leg. She looked down at him, as he stretched up, meowing loudly, as if saying, "Why won't you pet me?! Do you not like me anymore?" Regina heard Rowan choke and sputter on her coffee. _He's never going to leave me alone if I don't give him some attention. _Regina gave the meowing Nox a light scratch on the head. This seemed to satisfy him, and he sauntered off to rub against Rowan's legs. "What is up with you today?" Rowan asked him.

"He's obviously learned better social skills than you," Arabella said to her sister, as Nox jumped up on the countertop to sniff the apples. Regina rolled her eyes. Clearing her throat, she said, "So, Miss Jones…"

"Please, call me Rowan," she said, with a playful smirk. Regina smiled warmly at her, and let out a small chuckle. "Alright then, Rowan. Do you have an answer for me today?"

Rowan looked confused for a moment before it dawned on her. "Oh, right! The job offer! I'm sorry, my brain is just foggy at the moment." She hesitated. "Yes, I'll take the job."

Arabella almost spit out her coffee. "You're actually taking the job?! But, you've never even had a real job. All you've ever done is sell your jewelry and your art." Regina watched Rowan angrily set down her coffee cup. "Oh, good for you, Ara. Why don't you keep rubbing in my face the fact that you've had a real goddamn job!" Rowan looked at Regina. "I'm not stupid! I'm fully capable of having a real job!"

Regina wanted to throttle Arabella. She calmly spoke to Rowan. "I'm sure you are. That's why I want you for the job." She turned to Arabella, trying hard to keep her anger in check. "I don't need you to tell me whether Rowan is capable of the job I'm giving her. I'll make that decision myself." Regina couldn't keep the annoyance from her voice. "Now, if you don't mind, I really must be going. I have some errands to run." Regina turned and walked towards their door. A very flustered Arabella hurried over, and held the door open for the mayor. Regina didn't even acknowledge her.

The mayor cocked an eyebrow at Rowan. "I'll see you at 3 o'clock for an interview." She saw a slightly stunned Rowan nod. Regina flashed her a warm smile, and was rewarded with a very rare grin from the girl. "Enjoy the apples." Regina left, the door closing behind her. Arabella was going to be a problem, and Regina knew she'd have to find a way to deal with her soon. Keeping her anger in check had been hard. When Arabella started yelling about Rowan never having a real job, Regina wanted to rake her nails down her face. _She'll get what she deserves, soon. _But, for now, she had something more important to think about: the interview at 3:00. Though her face remained stern, her stomach flip flopped. She'd finally have the girl all to herself.

_What just happened? _Rowan thought to herself. Rowan had just about started another painting when she had heard a knock on the door. Bleary-eyed from lack of sleep, she had wandered over to the door and opened it, only to be greeted by the mayor herself. _Oh god. The mayor is here, and I look like a hot mess. _"Miss Jones, good morning," Regina had smiled at her. "It's morning?" _What time is it? _She had been painting non-stop and wasn't even fully aware of the fact that the sun had risen.

"Yes, Miss Jones, it is indeed morning." Rowan's mind felt foggy and slow, as did her actions, to the point that she forgot to invite the mayor in. "May I come in?" Regina had asked her. "Oh! Right, yes, come in!" Rowan caught a flash of sympathy and concern in the mayor's eyes. This made her want to bury her head in the mayor's shoulder, and confess the horrible dreams she had last night, the dreams that made her feel frightened, sad, confused, and practically crazy. Something told her that the mayor would understand, but Rowan pushed those thoughts away.

She noticed the mayor looking around the apartment. _Oh great. I look like shit, the apartment looks like shit…_ Normally, Rowan wouldn't care. She was an artist, and this was usually how things looked when she had spent hours painting. But, for some reason, Rowan cared now. _Maybe it's because of the job offer. _And, again, something in the back of her mind told her that the mayor wouldn't hold it against her. "Sorry about the mess," Rowan felt the need to apologize. The mayor looked over at her, one eyebrow raised. Rowan saw a hint of amusement, and for some reason, the look was oddly familiar, as though she had been given that look before by Regina, although she knew that was impossible. The feeling of familiarity was quickly replaced by confusion and embarrassment.

"I've been up all night painting." She wanted to just break down and tell her why, tell her about the strange dreams, about the queen with her face. She wanted to break down, let go, and asked this woman named Regina why these images were plaguing her, why her name, her face, seemed so familiar, how and why they were both here in Storybrooke, what the zap meant when they shook hands. Rowan's head was spinning, and she hated the feeling, hated Arabella for bringing her here. Her head was starting to hurt, and the situation wasn't made better when Nox went over to the mayor, and brushed against her legs, letting out a loud "MOW" as if he was saying, "I haven't seen you in forever!"

Rowan was in shock. Nox hated everyone except for her, and except for Tessa. He hated Arabella, even though Rowan and Arabella lived together, even though they were twins. And, when Mary Margaret and Emma came over for dinner last night, he hissed at them. But, here he was, acting as though Regina was his long lost friend.

"Is there something the matter, Miss Jones? You look as though you're trying to catch flies." Rowan caught the hint of playful teasing in her voice, though she knew if Regina had said it to anyone else it would have been said with mild disgust. "I…um…he…he usually hates people." Rowan saw Regina's face, saw her open her mouth, about to say something, when Arabella came bursting into the room, in her new interview clothes. She, of course, greeted the mayor in her usual obnoxious way, and when Rowan heard the mayor snap at Arabella, Rowan smirked. _It's about time someone put her in her place. _And, that's how the rest had played out. Arabella acting like she was better than Rowan, and the mayor putting her in her place. At times, Rowan could almost feel the anger emanating off of the mayor, directed towards Arabella. _She hates her. For once, someone hates her._

The mayor had even told Rowan to call her Regina instead of Mayor Mills. This had made Rowan feel giddy. And when she had referred to Rowan instead of "Miss Jones", she had wanted to hug her, even though something told her Rowan was the wrong name. And, surprising herself, she had accepted the job offer. Arabella, though, seemed to go ballistic. "She's never even had a real job!" Rowan hated her for this. Arabella constantly rubbed in her face the fact that she didn't have a "real job" although Rowan was perfectly happy making her living as an artist. _Just because you went to college, and got a bachelor's degree doesn't mean you're better than me. _She had been worried, though, that Regina would change her mind about the job offer. "I'm not stupid! I'm perfectly capable of having a real job!" She was so used to defending herself to everyone, especially her parents. However, she had quickly found out that Regina was on her side, and had to keep from laughing as Regina practically tore Arabella a new one. And, now, Rowan had a job interview at 3 o'clock.

"Well, that was…interesting," she heard Arabella say when she closed the door.

"I need interview clothes," Rowan said, suddenly, realizing she had none.

"Yeah, you do," Arabella said, walking into the kitchen to have some toast.

"So, I have an interview at three," Rowan said. "What am I supposed to do?"

"Well, we're the same clothing and shoe size. So, you can always look through my wardrobe, and borrow something for this afternoon." Arabella put the bread in the toaster. "Then, after that, I guess we could go shopping."

"If there are any places around here to go shopping," Rowan muttered, finishing her coffee, and pouring another cup. She needed the caffeine today.

"Well, we'll just drive to another town," Arabella said, spreading margarine, and marmalade on her toast. "Or, you could always ask the mayor where she gets her suits from. She does seem like a very fashionable lady."

Rowan rolled her eyes. "Right, because I could totally drop that into the interview. 'By the way, Regina, where do you shop? I do so love your wardrobe.'" Rowan said, in a mocking tone. She plopped down on the sofa, coffee in hand—she decided she was going to drink this cup black—and curled her legs under her.

"Well, it might win you more brownie points."

"I've already won a bunch with her just by being my usual charming self," Rowan said, half-jokingly. "YOU are the one who needs the brownie points."

Arabella angrily put her plate down. "I have an interview I need to get to," she said huffily. Rowan remembered that Arabella had an interview to be Mary Margaret's teaching assistant. "Well, tell Mary Margaret that the Wicked Witch of the West says, 'Howdy,'" Rowan said, sarcastically. _Haha, Wicked Witch. I slay myself sometimes. _She smirked over her coffee before taking a sip. Once again, she had felt that gnawing feeling at the back of her mind when she had said, "Wicked Witch of the West." _Idiot, _she told herself. _It was just a joke. _But, as it was coming out of her mouth, it felt more malicious than anything.

"Right," said Arabella, giving Rowan a questioning look. "Well, I'm going. Don't make a mess out of my closet." She grabbed her purse and started to head out the door. "Have fun in your interview." She said this almost snarkily, as she left.

"Always," Rowan said, the door clicking shut. She finished her coffee. _Time to go make a mess out of Arabella's closet, _she thought, with a smirk.

(Author's Note: Another favorite chapter of mine! Hope you enjoy reading it. This might be it for a few days, depending on how busy I am this week, but I'll try to type up two more chapters today, so that you all have something to hold you over for a while. I also have a blog about my dogs that I need to update before I head back to college tomorrow. Not to mention, I have to finish packing. So, I'm a busy bee. Just hang in there, and be patient! Thank you again for all of the wonderful reviews. As always, happy reading.)


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: For a Charm of Powerful Trouble**

The evil queen got into the carriage first, and was then followed by Elphaba and Nox. Elphaba saw the queen pat the spot next to her, so, instead of seating herself across from the queen like she normally would have, she sat down next to her, Nox hopping up into Elphaba's lap. Normally, sitting directly next to someone, even her own twin, would have made her skin crawl, and would have made her instantly agitated. Instead, the skin crawling feeling didn't happen, nor did Elphaba become agitated. She felt quite content sitting next to the queen, regardless of the fact that she was evil. After all, she had done nothing to anger the queen, and technically they were on the same side—one being "wicked" and one being "evil."

The Wicked Witch felt the carriage lurch to a start, and she felt as they bumped down the dirt road. She watched things pass by the windows, as they headed in what she assumed was the direction of the queen's castle, and saw the black knights in horses, escorting them along. She felt slightly conflicted about living with the queen. Her twin had offered her to let her live with her, but Elphaba had picked the queen over her own sister. _It was for a good reason, though. _They had never gotten along. Elphaba had always been shunned by both society, and by their own parents, just because of her green skin. Her twin was always favored, always the little show off, always the one who got what she wanted, while Elphaba was pushed aside, ignored, and had to struggle for what she wanted. This was the reason why Elphaba was the one living in a shack in the woods, and Glinda had her own mansion, given to her by their parents. Although Elphaba had grown to love her little shack, she always resented how Glinda had a mansion just handed to her, while Elphaba was left to struggle.

So, when Glinda offered her a new home, Elphaba stuck with the evil queen's offer instead. Finally, someone was offering her a lavish home, someone who wasn't going to ignore her, insult her, and push her aside. _Plus, a castle is ten times better than a mansion. And I'll be living with someone who practices the same dark magic that I do. _Elphaba was pulled out of her thoughts when the queen's arm was placed around her shoulders, and she was pulled slightly against the side of her body. Elphaba smiled slightly at her warmth.

"Excited about going to the castle?" the queen asked.

"Very," Elphaba told her, thought her stoic demeanor hid her excitement. The queen smiled and watched the green skinned girl. "You know, I don't think I ever caught your name." Elphaba looked at the queen. "Names have power." This was true, especially when it came to magic. This was also why no one, except her own family, knew her name. They only knew her as the Wicked Witch of the West.

The queen laughed. "My, what a clever witch you are. That is indeed true." The queen leaned in slightly. "You tell me yours, and I'll tell you mine." She leaned back again, looking at the girl. "That way, we'll be even." Elphaba eyed the queen, her lips pursed, as she contemplated the offer. It was wise to be cautious about things like this. _Well, she can't exactly go around calling me Wicked Witch all the time. And it is an even trade._

"Elphaba," she told the queen, final giving in. "Your turn."

The queen smiled. "Regina."

"Well, now we have something to call each other," Elphaba said, an amused smile twisting across her lips. The queen smiled. "And what is the name of this magnificent creature?" the queen asked, petting the black cat, who purred while leaning into her hand.

"His name is Nox," Elphaba told the queen. She had never seen Nox respond so warmly to a complete stranger—or really, any person, except for herself—but, after all, the queen did save his life.

"Hm, the Latin word for 'Night,'" the queen said. It was more of a statement than a question. "How clever," she added, glancing over at Elphaba, an amused smile playing across her lips. Elphaba didn't know what to say. This was the most attention anyone had ever paid to her. The queen even called her clever, which was not something her own parents had called her. In fact, they had always made it known that they thought she was stupid. Elphaba felt a warmth growing in her heart, a heart that had been cold for years. Part of her wished that she had had someone like the queen in her life earlier.

Still, she staunched the warm feelings. It wouldn't do to grow soft. She was the Wicked Witch and could not forget the fear she struck in people, especially the Munchkinlanders. It was her sister, Glinda, who was the soft one. Elphaba quickly replaced the scowl on her face, the scowl which had melted when the queen smiled at her. Elphaba cleared her throat.

"Well, of course it's clever. I AM the Wicked Witch of the West. Why would I give my familiar a stupid name," Elphaba said. She had turned her head away from the queen, and could feel her gaze boring into her. _She's going to snap my neck for being so snarky, _Elphaba thought, her scowl faultering. And, for some reason, she felt a twinge of guilt, for the queen had been kind to her, yet Elphaba never felt guilt any other time she was cruel, not even a small twinge.

She decided to compose herself, and change the subject. She turned back to the queen. "So, what can I expect, living with you?" She still tried to remain slightly indifferent, even though she felt a flutter of excitement in anticipation of what was to come.

"Oh, many things, my dear, many things," said the queen, the moment of anger disappearing from her face, when she noticed the slight glimmer of playfulness in the witch's eyes.

"You said I could have anything my heart desires."

"Yes, I did. Is there anything in particular that you desire?"

Elphaba thought for a moment. "I want the things I left behind to be replaced," she told her. "Spell books…unlimited access to spell books, the best ones. A crystal ball. And, a broomstick, of course. A new wardrobe, since I can't wear what I'm currently wearing all the time…." Elphaba went to continue, but was cut off by the queen's laughter. "Don't laugh at me!"

The queen looked at Elphaba, who was blushing (_If that's possible with green skin, _the queen thought), and furious, her eyes alight with a fire, her brows furrowed, and her mouth twisted. She felt a twinge of affection for the young witch, but pushed that feeling away. _It won't do to grow soft towards this girl. _"I just find your enthusiasm to be amusing," Regina told her. Deep, deep down inside, Regina was puzzled about why she wasn't more harsh towards the girl. The affection, the pull, she felt towards the young witch greatly troubled the queen. _It would be good to have an ally, though. And…maybe a companion. _It did often get lonely in the castle, for the queen, and after Hansel and Gretel declined her invitation to live with her, she was convinced she would forever remain alone in the castle. She had to admit, it gave her a slight thrill when the young witch agreed to live with her. It also angered her greatly when Glinda the Good Witch tried to stop them. _She'll pay for her insolence, _the queen thought.

However, now they were on their way to the castle, and no one was going to stop them. Elphaba was still watching her intently, a scowl still on her face. "I will make sure you have the things you requested," she told the young witch. "And more." Elphaba's scowl softened a bit, and she sat back, as they continued on their way to the castle.

Elphaba watched as they pulled up in front of a massive, looming, dark castle. Her scowl shattered into a very rare grin as she instantly fell in love with the castle. "Do you like it?" the queen asked, noticing the girl's grin, which made her realize how actually stunning the girl was, and reminded her how, once upon a time, she had grin just like that, too. "It's perfect," Elphaba told her. "Wait till you see the inside of it," the queen said, a mischievous glint in her eyes. She turned and opened the door of her carriage, proceeding to get out. "Come along, dear," she said over her shoulder.

Elphaba watched as the queen was helped out of the carriage by one of the knights. The queen turned, still looking expectantly at Elphaba, as she held out her hand. Elphaba stood up, and stepped out of the carriage, the queen's hand firmly grasping hers, while another knight stood near, arms out, ready to catch the young witch should she stumble. Nox jumped out of the carriage behind her when her feet finally hit the ground.

Elphaba noticed that a bunch of townsfolk had gathered, curious as to why the Wicked Witch of the West had just exited the carriage with the Evil Queen. Elphaba scowled at them, and saw fear flash across their faces. Elphaba smiled cruelly at this, as the queen placed her arm around Elphaba's shoulders, once again, and led her away, towards the castle. The townsfolk watched, fear washing over them. An alliance had been formed, Wicked Witch of the West, Evil Queen, and the strange demonic cat. Nothing good could come of this, for the townsfolk.

(Author's Note: This is a bit of a short chapter, since the previous one was rather long, and Chapter 7 will be quite long. Anyway, this might be it for a couple days at least. I'm working on typing up chapter 7, but, since I have a lot to do, it might take a few days. You'll like it, though! As always, keep reviewing! And, once again, happy reading. I'm off to pack.)


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Eye of Newt and Toe of Frog**

Regina sat behind her desk, impatiently waiting for 3 o'clock to roll around. She was going over things that had been puzzling her the whole day. The primary thing being Rowan's age. The girl had barely aged from the last time Regina saw her, 28 years ago. With that timeline, Rowan should be much older. Time had stopped in Storybrooke, until Emma Swan, the "savior", had shown up. Yet, Rowan hadn't been in Storybrooke in the last 28 years. Regina had sent the young witch away, before she enacted the curse, hoping that the girl—whose name had been Elphaba in Fairytale land—would remember her, and find her, like she promised.

Regina flashed back to that day, the portal to another world opening up before them.

"Where will I end up?" Elphaba had asked. She turned and looked at Regina, nervously biting her bottom lip, and clutching Nox.

"I'm not sure," Regina told her, staring at the swirling purple and black hole growing large in front of them. "Somewhere you'll be happy, I hope." She tried to smile reassuringly at the girl, but the moment she had turned and looked Elphaba in the eyes, her smile had faultered, and she felt her heart breaking. _Love really is a weakness, _she thought. She ran her fingers through Elphaba's long black hair. "It's for the best."

Elphaba knew about the curse, knew that when Regina enacted it that everyone in their realm would end up somewhere horrible. She couldn't subject the girl she loved so much to a fate like that. She saw tears in Elphaba's eyes, and she had to stuff her own sadness down into the depths of her soul.

"Will I ever see you again?" Elphaba had asked her.

"Someday, I hope," Regina told her, trying for the reassuring smile again, and feeling the corners of her mouth quiver. This was proving to be harder than she thought it would.

"I'll really miss you," Elphaba told her, her voice breaking as a single tear rolled down her cheek. Regina brushed the tear away, and, pulling the girl towards her, planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. She kept her lips there, closing her eyes, and breathing in her scent, feeling the young witch's warmth against her, and the warm body of Nox between them, his purring vibrating against her chest. They stayed like that for a while, until suddenly someone appeared in the clearing next to them.

"What are you doing?" Glinda's voice sounded. Regina kept her lips where they were for a moment longer, glaring at Glinda out of the corner of her eye. Elphaba was the one to step back first.

"I'm leaving, obviously. I told you this," she spoke, venom dripping from her voice, her scowl returning. "Thanks for ruining the moment."

"You can't leave," Glinda said, as though she hadn't heard her twin. Regina had had it with the good witch, and, raising her hand, gave a flick of her wrist, and Glinda was knocked unconscious by her magic. Elphaba looked from Glinda to the queen. Regina shrugged. "It had to be done." Elphaba nodded, and they stared at each other a moment. "Can I take her with me? I know we don't get along, but she's my twin and I don't want to be entirely alone."

Regina stared at her a moment, and then reluctantly relented. She could never say no to the girl. "Of course." Elphaba gave a small smile, and held Regina's hand, giving it a squeeze. When she let go, she placed Nox on her left shoulder, and hoisted Glinda onto her other shoulder. They both smiled at each other, and Elphaba held her hand once more. The portal was finally open enough for Elphaba to step through. She raised Regina's hand to her lips, and placed a kiss on her knuckles. Regina choked back the sadness that was restricting her throat.

"I'll find you one day," Elphaba told her. "I promise." And, with that promise, she had stepped through the portal.

Regina shook her head, snapping herself out of the memory. Where had the young witch gone? She wondered. Regina had tried to conduct a background check, as she had done with Emma when Emma came to Storybrooke. But, what really threw Regina was that there was barely a background for the girl. All she could find had gone back about three years, and the information had mainly to do with Rowan's art selling in various small art galleries around Pennsylvania, her handmade jewelry showing up in small boutiques. Other than that, she had found nothing, and discovered even less about Arabella. Judging by the small amount of information dating back only three years, Regina came to the conclusion that that's when Rowan and Arabella had come through the portal. Where they had been before that—either stuck in some kind of limbo, or another realm altogether—Regina wasn't sure.

She decided that this could be the reason why the girl, now named Rowan, seemed to remember partially, but she obviously didn't understand what she was remembering. Regina had been stunned when she saw the paintings that Rowan had done, of an evil queen and a green skinned witch—their faces blurred or slightly hidden by something—and even more stunned when Rowan told her that the images had been in her head, but she didn't seem to understand them. The memories seemed to be locked away, but were popping up subconsciously.

This gave Regina hope that with the right push, the right trigger, Rowan would remember. Until then, Regina had to remain somewhat distant. Too much too soon could send Rowan running from her. She could tell, just from their small interactions together, that the attention she was giving to Rowan was making the girl nervous and a little scared, despite her confidence in Fairytale land. _She's not used to the positive attention, especially from someone who she thinks is a complete stranger._

Regina checked the time on her phone, and watched as it changed from 2:59 to 3:00. Like magic, she heard a pair of high heels clicking on the floor outside her office, and watched the door slowly open. Regina's breath caught in her throat when she saw Rowan. The girl was wearing a red, fitted, sleeveless dress, belted at the waist with a thin, black, faux snakeskin belt with a silver clasp, and black patent leather pumps, which made her long legs look even longer. Her long black hair was done up in a low side bun, perfectly coiffed and hairsprayed. She had toned down her eye make-up considerably, opting for a slightly tame smokey eye look, no eyeliner, just mascara, which showed off her dark eyes much better. Her lipstick matched her red dress, and the combination made her pale skin look even more beautiful to Regina. _She was stunning with green skin, and she's stunning with pale skin._

She saw Rowan gazing around her office. "Wow. This looks amazing." _It looks like the office of an editor at a fashion magazine, not a mayor's office, _Rowan thought. Regina watched Rowan, watched the grin on her face. It was the same grin the girl wore when she first saw the castle. Regina smiled herself.

"Thank you," she said warmly to Rowan. "Please, have a seat." Rowan sat down in front of her, and, for a moment, the mayor was at a loss for words. That didn't last long, though.

"So, Rowan," Regina said, leaning forward and placing her hands on the desk, fingers laced together. "I conducted a little…background check." She opened a manila folder, and flipped through some of the papers.

"Um…a background check?" Regina looked up to see a confused and nervous look on Rowan's face.

"Oh, don't worry dear, it's just protocol. Everyone who comes to Storybrooke gets a background check. It's one of the obligations of being mayor."

"Oh…um…okay." Regina saw that this didn't decrease Rowan's nervousness. Regina looked through the sparse amount of information she had, and decided she would refrain from telling Rowan that the information only went back three years. _I'll ask her some questions, and see what she can remember. Then I'll go from there, _Regina thought.

"I find it quite…fascinating…that at such a young age, you already have your artwork in various galleries around Pennsylvania, and your jewelry in several boutiques."

"Oh, yes, well, they're small galleries, though," Rowan said, blushing.

"Don't discredit your accomplishment. Not many young artists can say that they have artwork in a gallery, let alone several." Regina paused, watching the blush growing on Rowan's face. "Do you do any commissions?"

"Sometimes, but mainly for the jewelry I make. Custom orders. I also sell at arts and crafts fairs."

"So, you must make a good living."

"Well, I'm not a starving artist, so sure. It's not really a ton of money, and it's not a consistent paycheck, but I'm still able to support myself."

"I see," Regina said. "So, have you always wanted to be an artist?" Regina thought the question was harmless enough, although her intention was to see how far back Rowan's memory went, how much she remembered. She saw something flicker across Rowan's face, a flicker of confusion, as if she was having a hard time remembering.

"Um, well, I have always been a creative soul, so I guess it was just a natural choice."

Regina considered this answer. It wasn't a yes, and the girl she remembered would have given a frank, straight to the point answer, a yes or a no. No more, unless she was asked to elaborate. Regina could see in Rowan's eyes the confusion. _She's having trouble remembering anything earlier than three years ago._

"What about education? Did you go to art school?"

"Wouldn't that be in the background check?" It was a defensive answer from someone who couldn't remember, Regina realized. For a moment, the girl staring back at her was the Wicked Witch of the West, the same fierceness in her eyes. _I'm getting somewhere, _Regina thought. The answer was almost infuriating, and, if it had been anyone else sitting in front of her, she would have already come to the decision not to hire them. But, this girl was her Elphaba, so she chose to let that slide.

"Yes, but I wanted to hear it from you." Regina made sure to keep her voice neutral. The fierceness flashed in Rowan's eyes again, and, if she had been her old self, she would have responded with a witty, sarcastic remark, which not only would have annoyed Regina, but also amused her, both of them breaking into smiles before Regina fired back an equally witty and sarcastic remark. She could tell that Rowan was struggling with that, and Regina, for a moment, thought that she would respond that way, but Rowan seemed to push that response away, and opted for a tamer one.

"Well, no, I didn't. I don't think I ever wanted to go to college, even if it was art school. My twin is the one with the higher education and the degree." Regina heard the resentment in Rowan's voice. _You have every right to resent her, dear. She's never treated you like you were worth anything._

"I assume you have a high school diploma, though."

"…Yes…" Regina saw the confusion in Rowan's eyes again. _She's struggling. She can't remember going to high school, so she's giving the answer that she thinks she should. _

"Good, good." Regina shuffled through the information again, to make it appear as though she had more information than she did. "Well, you seem like an intelligent, savvy, business woman, if you've managed to sell yourself and your work to so many galleries and boutiques. You must have good people skills."

Rowan laughed nervously. "Well, not usually, but I guess I've managed to still impress gallery owners and boutique owners."

"Don't be so modest."

"No, no, it's sort of the truth. I'm quite introverted. In all honesty, people never pay much attention to me. But, I am an artist, and the only time people really acknowledge me is when I'm showing off my art or my jewelry."

"I see. So, tell me why I should hire you." Again, Regina kept her voice as neutral as possible, although she was mildly annoyed that Rowan wasn't selling herself better. _Don't you see how brilliant you are?_

"Well, YOU were the one who offered me the job, so I assumed you already wanted to hire me." Regina heard the attitude in Rowan's voice, saw the feisty glint in her eye. _Ah, there's my Elphaba. _Regina couldn't help but smile, and a soft chuckle left her lips. "I was just hoping you would sell yourself better." She stared at Rowan, a small smile on her lips. She saw Rowan struggling with her emotions, not sure whether to be angry or offended, or whether she should be embarrassed, or if she should be flattered that Regina seemed to like her. Regina watched Rowan with a challenging look in her eyes. _Come on, you can do better._

Rowan cleared her throat, and staunched her emotions. _Come on, sell yourself like you're selling your work! _Rowan told herself. "I'm intelligent, and a quick learner. I'm a hard worker. If you tell me to do something, I'll do it, and I'll do it better than anyone else would. I'm loyal, but I'm not a pushover. I'll stand up for myself if I think I have to, and I tend to stand up for people who have gained my trust and earned my respect. I'm organized, and if you give me a deadline, I'll get the task done by the deadline."

Regina smiled again. "You say you stand up for people who have earned your respect. Have I earned your respect?"

"Yes," Rowan said, blushing. "But, you honestly don't seem like someone who needs anyone to stand up for them." There was a small smile on Rowan's lips, and a playful gleam in her eyes. _She's teasing me! _Regina thought.

"Everyone needs someone to stand up for them." _I stood up for you, and I still do, and you used to do the same for me. _"Besides, I do have some…enemies… in this town. People who would love nothing more than to have me out of office."

"Well, then they have to go through me." It was a very Elphaba-like answer, and Regina saw the mild confusion pass across Rowan's face. Regina had to keep her emotions under control. It was tormenting her that Elphaba was in there, but Rowan wasn't understanding it. She wanted to reach across the desk, and shake her, and plead her to remember. She was so close, yet so far. Again, she knew too much too soon would scare Rowan away forever. She knew she had to go about this slowly, even though it made her want to rip her hair out. Her only real friend she had, the only person next to Daniel that she had truly loved, and the girl didn't remember, didn't remember their bond! Again, Regina had to push her emotions away. _Stay indifferent, _she told herself. Regina saw Rowan blink slowly, and swallow, and the Wicked Witch of the West was pushed away, although Regina still saw a glimmer of the Wicked Witch in Rowan's eyes, still saw her bubbling beneath the surface. It was obvious to Regina that this whole situation was difficult for the both of them.

"Well," Regina said, speaking first, as Rowan stared intensely at her. "You certainly haven't failed to impress me. I think hiring you will be a wise decision." Regina saw a grin spread across Rowan's face, then watched it faulter slightly.

"Great," Rowan told her, the grin still on her face, but her eyes showing a small amount of confusion, and her face overall fighting with whether she should be scowling or grinning. It gave Rowan a slightly pained look, and Regina had to concentrate on not laughing. She had to admit, confused Rowan was cute, and it just made her love the girl even more, but also made her a bit sad at the same time.

Rowan cleared her throat, and replaced the grin with a serious expression. "So, when would you like me to start?"

"Tomorrow."

"Okay. Well, then, I'll see you tomorrow." Rowan stood up, and then remembered she didn't have any business attire for tomorrow. _Should I tell her? What if she thinks I'm stupid? Maybe I shouldn't say anything…_

Regina saw Rowan chewing on her bottom lip, seemingly a million miles away. "Is there something the matter, dear?" She saw Rowan look at her, her big dark eyes wide and her bottom lip caught between her teeth.

"Um, well…This will probably sound really, really dumb to you, but…I don't have any business attire…you know, being an artist and all…and I was just wondering if you know of some place I where I can buy some business attire from, or, maybe a website or catalog where you order your suites from." _Oh god, that sounded as ridiculous as I thought it would. Goddamn Arabella. Why the hell did I even consider her advice?_

Regina smiled. "I'll handle that." Rowan blanched. "What? No, no, you really don't have to do that."

"I insist." _You can have anything your heart desires. _Regina already knew the girl's measurements from when they lived in the castle together, and she had ordered her a new wardrobe. "I'll custom order what you'll need. Until then, maybe you can borrow another outfit from your twin. You managed to find a suitable outfit for today." She looked Rowan up and down, surprised that the Arabella girl had something in her closet that wasn't pink. Just then, Regina noticed the locket that she had missed before, and she almost gasped. It was a large silver locket, with a white rose cameo, the background black, and the chain long. She recognized it immediately. After all, Regina had given it to her. _She still has it! _She had given it to a distraught Elphaba, after that Dorothy girl had dropped a house on her younger sister, and then practically stole the ruby red shoes that were rightfully Elphaba's.

"My, what a lovely necklace," Regina said to her. "Where did you get it?"

"Oh, thank you. I think someone gave it to me…" Regina saw the confusion on Rowan's face as she tried to recall who had given it to her.

"Are there pictures in it?" Regina already knew the answer, but she wanted to hear Rowan's answer.

"Oh, yes, there's a picture of my cat, Nox, and a picture of my little sister Tessa." Regina was intrigued by this. _So, Nessa had become Tessa, in Rowan's mind. _Regina was also mildly troubled. _There's a third picture in there, dear. _The locket actually had three places to put a picture, a section in the middle that could hold a picture, so that when the locket was opened, it looked as though it only held two pictures, until the center piece flipped out to reveal another picture. When Regina had given the young Witch the locket, she had placed a picture of Nox and Nessa in it for Elphaba, leaving the third section empty. Elphaba had eventually placed a picture of the queen into the locket, and having pictures of the three people she loved the most.

"I wasn't aware you had a younger sister."

"Oh, yes. She died in a car accident with my parents a few years ago."

Regina was slightly taken aback by this. She remembered her sister was dead, but her mind had filled it in with a car accident. She was also confused by Rowan thinking that there were only two pictures in the locket. _Does she never look in it?! Surely she would have seen the third picture. _"May I see the picture? I'm just curious."

"Oh, um, sure." She watched as Rowan struggled to open the locket, and when it wouldn't open, she looked puzzled. "That's weird…I don't remember having trouble opening it before…" Rowan laughed nervously. "But, I don't look at the pictures that often. I know they're in there."

_Interesting, _Regina thought. Could the clasp on the locket have become warped due to the portal the girl had gone through? Or, was it magic that was somehow keeping the locket closed. As Regina contemplated this, she could tell that Rowan was growing uncomfortable.

"Well, maybe next time," Regina said, hoping her eyes conveyed warmth. "I look forward to seeing you tomorrow, at 8 o'clock sharp." She stood up, and put her hand out for Rowan to shake. When their hands met, there was a tingling sensation that Regina felt against her palm, and, again, the air seemed to tingle with magic. _Hmmm…_Regina thought. _That's the second time this has happened. _Regina broke the handshake first.

"Right, 8 o'clock sharp. See you tomorrow." Rowan flashed a nervous smile, and watched her leave. Once again, she pushed her emotions away. Seeing the girl again was bringing back emotions that Regina hadn't dealt with in at least 28 years. For all those years, she had staunched her emotions, and any pain she felt when she missed the girl was quickly pushed down into the pit of her stomach. She had even almost dowsed the idea that she was ever going to see the girl again. But, now, the girl, now named Rowan, was back in her life, and Regina had to figure out how to deal with those latent emotions once again.

Rowan's mind was reeling as she left the mayor's office. In just a span of a couple days, things had changed drastically. She was experiencing emotions that she had never felt before, and she was even beginning to doubt her own sanity. Some of the questions the mayor had asked her troubled her. They were relatively harmless questions, but it was Rowan's memory that had frightened her. Or, really, what seemed like lack of memory. When the mayor had asked about her education, in particular her high school education, Rowan had become confused. Why couldn't she remember graduating high school? Surely she had. That was what made her answer with a "yes", albeit a hesitant one. But, why was it a hesitant yes? And then, when Regina had asked her if she had always wanted to be an artist, she honestly couldn't remember.

As she walked down the sidewalk, and headed in the direction of her apartment complex, she went over the events of the last year, then the last two years, then the last three years. Rowan getting her first apartment in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. A small but cozy apartment, just her and Nox. Art shows, crafts fairs, making money from her creativity. Living apart from her twin and enjoying it. Then, her twin moving into the apartment across the hall from hers. Nox coming and going as he pleased, and always walking her to whatever boutique was selling her jewelry. Walking her everywhere. Rowan was happy, but, when she thought about it, she remembered how restless she was at the same time. In fact, she hadn't been truly happy. Just sort of content, although she felt a bit detached. And, there were those bouts of insomnia she would have. She's lie awake, convinced she was forgetting something, or that she had lost something. Sometimes she would jolt awake, and not even recognize her surroundings, and then, remembering where she was, end up becoming overcome with sorrow. She had attributed this to missing Tessa, but, thinking about it now, it had always felt like more than that. She was missing someone, and it wasn't Tessa. She would toss and turn, and fail at falling back asleep. So, she always resorted to sitting up in bed, and sketching or drawing until the sun came up. Sometimes she fell back asleep, and sometimes she didn't.

Rowan also remembered how she would sometimes wake up sobbing, with the memory of lips on her forehead, and someone holding her. During these moments, Nox would gently headbutt her, and headbutt her chin. He would purr as if to say, "Don't cry, it'll be okay," and she'd hug him, tucked under her chin until she fell back asleep, only to wake up an hour or so later, in a panic that she couldn't explain. During these bouts of insomnia, Nox was her greatest comfort, as he had always been.

What made her the most happy was when she was drawing, painting, or making jewelry. Doing anything creative helped her focus her mind on something else, made her not so nervous and tense. Her shoulders would relax, her scowl would disappear, and she would lose herself. Until her twin would come knocking on her door, breaking her trance, and talking her ear off about something mundane. Art shows also brought her a certain amount of happiness, as she could concentrate on talking about her art. Despite this, though, she had still always scanned the crowd for a familiar face, although she never knew who she was supposed to be looking for. And, reading always helped, too. It made her feel more connected to the world, although when she finished a book, she'd sometimes have moodswings, ranging from excitement, to frustration, to sadness. But the moodswings never lasted long, and then she'd pick up another book to get lost in. That was Rowan's life, having something she could get lost in.

She finally got to her apartment door, and fished her key out of her wristlet. She unlocked the door, stepped inside, and was promptly greeted by Nox, who she scooped up in her arms.

"How did the interview go?" she heard a frustratingly cheerful voice ask her. Arabella was home.

"Fine," she said, taking off the high heels she was wearing.

"Just fine?" Arabella asked.

"Yeah." Rowan really didn't want to talk.

"So, you got the job, right?"

"Mmhmm."

"Good," Arabella said. "My interview went great. I'll be working along side Mary Margaret as her teaching assistant, and I'm so excited."

"Good for you." Rowan wanted to choke her. A migraine had started, and all Rowan wanted to do was lay down for a few hours. "Look, my head hurts. I need to go lay down. I'll hang your dress up. Thanks for letting me borrow it." She spoke all of this over her shoulder as she opened the door of her bedroom, and went in, without even waiting for a response from her twin. Her head was pounding, and she just wanted to curl up with Nox. She took the dress off, hung it up, removed the bobby pins from her hair, and climbed into bed in just her undergarments. She shut her eyes, and felt Nox snuggle up under her arms. She fell asleep with the image of Mayor Regina Mills on her mind.

(Author's Note: This was REALLY long, but my favorite chapter to write. I hope it was your favorite chapter to read. I just moved into my dorm, so I thought I would surprise you with one more chapter. This really might be it for the next few days, or so, or possibly the next week. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this one. As always, review, review, review, because reviewing encourages me, and gives me ideas for future chapters. As always, happy reading.)


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: Round about the cauldron go**

_ She stared down at the legs sticking out from underneath the house. The striped stockings and the ruby red shoes. Her sister's favorite shoes. The Wicked Witch of the East. 'Oh Nessa…' She was filled with anger at the person who dropped a house on her precious sister. The shoes were all she had left of Nessa Rose. She reached for them, but the shoes vanished, and the striped stockinged feet of her sister curled in on themselves, and disappeared under the house. She was horrified._

_ She spun around. The brown haired girl with pigtails, the little bitch who dropped a house on her sister was wearing Nessa's shoes! How dare she! 'Give me the shoes!' The girl babbled some ridiculous excuse. 'As long as Dorothy wears the shoes, you cannot touch her.' It was Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, her twin! Hatred surged through her. She vowed to get the shoes that were rightfully hers. She would get that Dorothy bitch, and her little scruffy dog, too! _

_ She vanished in a puff of smoke and flames. She was back at the castle. Nox greeted her, and she stomped past the guards, broomstick in hand. Nox followed her into her bedchamber, and the door slammed shut behind her. She threw her broomstick down, and hurled her pointed hat across the room. The anger seeped away and was replaced by overwhelming sorrow. She scooped Nox up into her arms, and buried her face in his back. She cried. Awful wracking sobs, the first time she had cried in her life._

_ 'Little witch, why do you cry?' She turned to see the queen standing a few feet behind her. She saw the queen's taken aback expression as she saw the face of the grief stricken young witch. 'I heard you crying, and I was concerned. Tell me what has upset you, dear.'_

_ 'Some little bitch, a girl named Dorothy Gale from some land called Kansas, dropped her house on my sister, my little Nessa Rose! She's dead, and now that Dorothy has Nessa's ruby red shoes! Glinda gave them to her! They were the last thing I had of my little sister, and Glinda gave them away!'_

_ 'Oh, Elphaba…' The queen took her into her arms, and she sobbed against her neck, Nox held between them._

_ 'I hate her! I hate Dorothy Gale and I hate Glinda! I hate the Munchkinlanders! They were laughing and celebrating! I hate all of them!' She was screaming this, her face still buried in the queen's neck._

_ 'I know, I know. I hate them, too. We'll make them pay.' The queen stroked her back. 'Please stop crying, dear.'_

_ Elphaba pulled away, wiping her tears. There was a loud pop, and Glinda appeared in the room. She saw the queen spin around. 'You are not welcome here!'_

_ 'My business here concerns my twin!' Her twin had never had any respect for the queen. She rushed past her, and stood in front of Glinda, her anger boiling over. 'Those shoes were the last thing I have of my sister, and you gave them away!'_

_ 'Let me explain…'_

_ 'No! You don't get to speak! There's no excuse for what you did. You don't even care that she's dead!' She was breathing hard. 'You are no twin of mine!' She lashed out, her hand striking out to claw at her twin's face, mar her beauty, tear her flesh…_

_ And then everything dissolved…._

Rowan jolted upright in bed, her heart hammering in her chest. It took her a few moments to realize where she was. She looked at the glow in the dark stars that covered a portion of her ceiling above her bed. She looked around at her sparsely decorated room, looked at her mattress that lacked a bedframe. Nox had awoken, and climbed into her lap, brushing against her, and purring. Rowan held him, and kissed him on the head. She looked at the digital alarm clock next to her bed. It was 12:30 in the morning. Rowan remembered that she had come home from the interview with Regina Mills, with a splitting migraine. She had laid down, only intending to take a brief nap. Instead, she had completely passed out. _Well, I barely slept last night, so that's not surprising. _

She sat, thinking about the dream she had, and the people in the dream. A witch named Glinda had Arabella's face. A queen in a dark, elaborate outfit had the face of Mayor Regina Mills. And Rowan herself had been a witch. What disturbed Rowan the most was the fact that the dream felt too real, and too familiar, eerily like a memory. It wasn't entirely disjointed like a typical dream. Nox felt like Nox; holding him in the dream felt like her holding him in real life. Things were too vivid, too clear. She had actually felt the queen with Regina's face holding her, felt the pulse in her neck when Rowan—who this queen had called "Elphaba" in the dream—had buried her face in her neck. Her anger at the witch with Arabella's face felt real. Everything felt real.

Bells and whistles seemed to be going off in Rowan's mind. The name "Elphaba" gnawed at her mind, and something screamed _That's your name! _And the idea of the queen with Regina's face gave her a weird, excited, fluttering feeling in her stomach. _In the dream, she was a queen, but in reality, she's the mayor of Storybrooke. _Her mind screamed that there was a connection.

Rowan let go of Nox, and ran her fingers through her hair, tugging at it, wanting to yank it out. She pulled her knees up to her chest, and buried her face in her knees, pressing her eyelids against them, still gripping her hair. _What is wrong with me? Am I going crazy? I don't understand this at all. _She tried to think back to when she was younger, tried to think back to her life before she moved to Upper Darby three years ago. She strained, and strained, but couldn't recall anything. _Why am I not able to recall anything earlier than three years? _Surely, Arabella wasn't having this problem. _Mom and Dad died in a car accident, right? And so did Tessa? _But, something in the back of her mind told her that none of that was true.

_And, the weird feeling of magic in the air both of the times I shook the mayor's hand? What was that? What was that zap? I know I saw a spark the first time. And then, there was that feeling I got, the first day here. Like I was going to see a long lost friend, and then the mayor seems so familiar. _She thought back to how the mayor treated her. _No one has ever showed me so much attention. _The mayor…the queen with the mayor's face…the feeling of familiarity….The warmth she notices in the mayor's eyes. _No, no, this is crazy. None of this can be connected! _But, something was telling her it was indeed connected. _Nox acts like he knows her…_She stared at her cat, and he stared back at her, as if he was trying to tell her to make the connection. His gaze was so intense that, for a moment, Rowan believed he knew far more about this than she did.

_I'm freaking out. _She got out of bed, still in her undergarments, and resolved to wash her face, change into her pajamas, and then do something to get her mind off of the thoughts and questions that were spinning through her mind. She stumbled, on shaky legs, to the bathroom, Nox—her ever present four-legged shadow—close behind her. She opened the bathroom door, switched on the light, and glanced at herself in the mirror. For a split second, she saw herself with green skin. Rowan jumped, and her hands flew up to cover her eyes. _What the fuck?! _She peeked at her reflection from between, and just saw her usual pale skin. She pulled her hands away from her face, and stared at herself in the mirror. _You are fucking nuts_, she thought to herself. She stared at herself, and saw her disheveled hair, her smudged eye make-up, her black bra and panties. She still had on her favorite locket, and she twirled it between her thumb and forefinger.

She got an idea in her head, and leaned close to the mirror, staring at it intently. _What am I supposed to be seeing, other than myself? _She got a weird feeling in her stomach, and, again, something gnawed at the back of her mind. She kept thinking of the mayor, Regina Mills. She kept thinking of the queen with Regina's face. _Where are you? Can you see me? _She thought, as she stared into the mirror.

Rowan yanked herself away, shaking her head. _Where did THAT thought come from? _She lightly slapped her cheeks. _Come on, get a grip. _Taking a deep breath, and slowly exhaling, she grabbed a make-up remover cloth, and swiped it across her face a few times to remove all of her make-up. She grabbed her facial cleanser, turned on the faucet, and started washing her face. She continued to stare at herself in the mirror. A multitude of emotions were coursing through her, and even though she was doing something as simple as washing her face, her heart was racing. Rowan had the insane urge to laugh, and she knew once she started, she wouldn't be able to stop. _It's like I've stepped into the Twilight Zone. _Nox jumped up onto the sink, to be closer to Rowan, as though he sensed her distress. She leaned down, and splashed some water on her face, then playfully flicked some water at Nox, who shook his head, swiped a six-toed paw over his face, and looked mildly offended.

Rowan grinned at his expression, and felt herself calm a bit. _If I didn't have Nox, I don't know what I would do. _She grabbed a towel, dried her face, and then started to brush her teeth. She continued to stare at herself in the mirror. The thought "Where are you?" passed through her mind again. _Why do I keep asking that? _She saw Nox stand up, and place both paws on the mirror, as if looking into it himself. He turned and gave Rowan a questioning look. _This is way too weird. _She spit into the sink, wiped her mouth, and scooped up Nox.

Rowan walked out of the bathroom, and put Nox back down on the floor as she took off her undergarments, and threw them into the hamper. She walked over to her dresser, and pulled out a new pair of panties, and an oversized white t-shirt, and put them on. She decided that some drawing might help to relax her mind enough to fall asleep again. She went over to her box of art supplies, grabbed her sketch pad, and some sticks of charcoal. Plopping down onto her bed, she flipped to the first clean page, placed the stick of charcoal on the paper on the paper, and drew what was in her mind: the queen with Regina's face.

_Where are you? Can you see me? _

Regina's eyes popped open, and she sat up in her bed. Rowan's voice had sounded in her mind, as clear as day. Regina got out of bed, and walked over to her full length mirror, staring intently into it. She grazed her fingers across the surface. _Where are you? _sprang into her mind again. She gently ran her finger down the mirror, almost in a caress. _I'm here, _she thought. _I've always been here._

(Author's Note: So, I really didn't think that I would be uploading Chapter 8 so soon. But, my room mate hasn't been in the room much, these past two days, so, in my alone time, I've been typing up Chapter 8. And, here it is! Yay! This was another favorite chapter of mine to write. Its a bit shorter, but chapter 9 is REALLY long. That chapter definitely won't be up for quite a while! Anyway, as always, keep reviewing. I love hearing your thoughts and your enthusiasm. Seriously, I love all of you. And, once again, happy reading!)


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: I'll Give Thee a Wind**

It was early in the morning, the sun having risen just a few hours before, and Elphaba sat in front of her vanity, still in her night gown, her hair still wild and messy. It had been three weeks since she moved in with the Evil Queen, and for once in her life, she was actually happy, although she still wore her infamous scowl, but even that had softened, just a bit. The queen had stayed true to her word, and had supplied the young witch with whatever her heart desired, including a new—and much more elaborate—wardrobe. Nox had been given free reign of the castle, and was actually treated with respect. Both of them were. The queen seemed to adore Nox, and Elphaba knew that the queen felt the same way about her—the feeling was mutual—although neither of them would admit it out loud. This was perfectly fine with Elphaba, who had never been particularly affectionate or loving—except towards Nox—and had never had anyone be particularly affectionate towards her, except for maybe her little sister, Nessa Rose, the Wicked Witch of the East, although neither one of them would readily admit it out loud either.

Elphaba thought her newfound friendship with the queen was quite a satisfactory one. They often shared breakfast and dinner together, and Elphaba was learning from the queen, in regards to magic. In fact, she was learning things she hadn't been able to teach herself, and the queen gave her access to the library of spell books whenever she wanted. They weren't particularly super talkative with each other. It was a quiet friendship, where they would just simply enjoy each other's company, sometimes in complete silence, and sometimes making small conversation. On occasion, when they were in the library together, and Elphaba was pouring over a spell book, she'd glance up to notice the queen regarding her with warmth and amusement. One thing that they did discuss a lot was the queen's plans to destroy Snow White, and Elphaba often suggested ideas to her as to how she can take down Snow White. Elphaba also often accompanied the queen when she went to speak with this Rumplestiltskin person, although the queen was always insistent on Elphaba hanging back, and not making her presence known to this Rumplestiltskin. "I don't want him using you against me in some way," the queen had told her in the carriage, one evening, on their way home from the queen's meeting with Rumplestiltskin, after Elphaba had become mildly offended and a little angry at the queen for not wanting her to get involved with the creepy little imp. Elphaba had regarded that little bit of information, and decided it was a valid reason. Rumplestiltskin was constantly making "deals" and Elphaba had often heard him say, "All magic comes with a price."

The queen had also given Elphaba advice regarding the small inhabitants of Munchkinland, which she had often passed on to her sister Nessa, who controlled most of the Munchkinlanders. This never sat well with Glinda, who had attempted, several times, to enter the castle to speak with Elphaba and the queen, although she never got far, and ended up leaving, huffing and puffing. This always amused Elphaba, and she was glad that, at least somewhere, Glinda couldn't get her way.

Elphaba was pulled out of her thoughts when the door to her bedchamber opened, and the queen entered, wearing boots, leather pants, a red jacket that was quite long in the back, and had her long hair pinned up. It seemed a little bit more casual than what the queen normally wore. Nox jumped off the bed and brushed up against the queen's legs, as she scooped him up, and walked towards Elphaba.

"Good morning, dear," she said to the young witch, planting a kiss on top of her head, and placing Nox in Elphaba's lap. Elphaba's lips twisted into a small smile. "I'm in the mood for a ride this morning," the queen said. "Would you care to join me?"

"Of course," Elphaba said. "I always ride with you in your carriage."

"No, I mean a ride on horseback."

Elphaba lowered her gaze. "I've never ridden a horse," she told her. "Witches don't usually ride horses," she said, as she reached for her hair brush. "Glinda was always the one who received horseback riding lessons." She picked up her brush, and the queen snatched it out of her hand. Elphaba noticed the playful gleam in her eye when she did this, and, again, felt a small smile twist against her lips.

"There's a first time for everything," the queen said, as she brought the brush to Elphaba's unruly hair. "I'll teach you." She started to brush Elphaba's hair, and Elphaba flinched, more out of habit than distaste for the queen brushing her hair. She actually enjoyed when the queen would do this, and she was surprisingly gentle, but Elphaba was still getting used to it. She had never had a pleasant experience anytime anyone else would brush her hair. As children, Glinda had always insisted on brushing Elphaba's hair, regardless of whether Elphaba wanted her to (which was never) or not (which was always). Elphaba always hated the invasion of her personal space, and would always put up a fight, often hitting and scratching, until Glinda left her alone and would run out of the room in tears. Their mother was no better. Where as Glinda would approach the situation in a cheerful, lighthearted manner, her mother always acted like it was a chore. Even as Elphaba fought—she hated her mother's touch even more—her mother would yank the brush through Elphaba's hair, almost ripping it out of her scalp. Then she would get fed up with Elphaba's squirming and flailing, and roughly shove Elphaba's head forward, throw down the brush, and stomp out of the room. Elphaba would be left with tears stinging her eyes, though she never let those tears spill over. So, when the queen first brushed Elphaba's hair, Elphaba had tensed up so badly that the queen was taken aback, and asked her what was wrong. When Elphaba told her about her bad experiences with her mother brushing her hair, the queen had become infuriated. At first, Elphaba hadn't known how to react to this, because no one had ever particularly cared about her somewhat toxic relationship with her mother. The queen had reassured her that nothing like that would ever happen again, and, for once in Elphaba's life, she actually started to enjoy having someone brush her hair.

"I don't have any riding clothes," Elphaba said, as the queen brushed her hair, expertly taming her wild tresses.

"I've taken the liberty of getting you some riding clothes. I'll have the servants bring them in," she said, placing the brush down on the vanity, and starting to section parts of Elphaba's hair with her fingers. Elphaba was puzzled at what she was doing. It looked as though the queen was about to braid her hair—Elphaba had often watched her mother braid her twin's hair when they were children—but no one had ever braided her hair. Again, the queen was gentle, and she liked the feeling of her hair moving as the queen made the sections, and even her fingers moving deftly through her hair.

"What about a horse? I don't have one of my own. Unless I borrow one of the knight's horses?" She watched as the queen made two small braids, one on each side of her head, and brought them around together at the back of her head, then secured them with two hair pins.

"I also took the liberty of getting you your own horse," the queen said, a small smile playing across her lips. The queen fished through Elphaba's box of hair adornments, and seemed to not find what she needed. She snapped her fingers, and a black ribbon appeared in the air before them, simply floating. "When did you purchase a horse for me?" Elphaba asked, slightly captivated by the ribbon rippling in the air before her. She had never been particularly fond of ribbons, but she would make an exception this time.

"I went out early this morning, as the sun was rising, and purchased him for you," she told her, as she separated the rest of Elphaba's hair into three sections, and began to braid them together. It was the hairstyle she often wore when she went riding as a young girl, and Regina had, for some reason, decided it would look particularly nice on the young witch.

Elphaba saw the mischievous gleam in the queen's eyes. "Why do I get the feeling that you've had this planned for a while?"

"I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about." Although the queen kept her eyes focused on the long hair she was braiding, Elphaba could tell she was teasing her. Nox had become interested in the ribbon, and started to bat at it, and Elphaba had to hold him to keep him from leaping up and pouncing on the ribbon. Between the queen's playful attitude this morning, and Nox's interest in the ribbon—he had begun to wiggle his butt back and forth, and swish his tail, as he was preparing to capture the nefarious ribbon—Elphaba had felt a grin beginning to form, and tug at the corners of her mouth. Grinning was so foreign to her—and she didn't want to appear soft—that she struggled to get her scowl back in place. She didn't quite succeed, and ended up with a slightly pained expression on her face.

The queen pretended not to notice this, as she finished the braid, and plucked the ribbon out of the air, much to Nox's dismay. She tied the ribbon onto the end of Elphaba's hair, and, for a moment, thought back to her own miserable childhood, and her mother's abuse, which sounded quite similar to the abuse the Elphaba's mother seemed to have inflicted on her, minus the magic. She swallowed back the emotions that were threatening to choke her, and noticed the offended look that Nox was giving her. Seeing his dismay at having the floating ribbon taken away from him, Regina snapped her fingers, and made another one appear in the air. Nox promptly leaped up and pounced on it, then landed on the floor with it in his mouth, and proceeded to pin it down, chew on it, and bat it around with his paws. The queen looked up at Elphaba's reflection in the mirror, and they both smiled at each other.

"What do you think?" she asked the young witch, placing her hands on Elphaba's shoulders. Elphaba regarded herself in the mirror, turning her head from side to side. "I like it. Thank you. May I try on the riding clothes?"

"Of course," the queen told her, and, as if on cue, the servants came in with two boxes, placed them on the bed, and then left as quickly as they had come in. Elphaba ran her hands over the boxes. She had never been given the gifts of nice, new clothes by her parents. Over the past few weeks, the queen had changed that, though, supplying Elphaba with dresses as elaborate as her own, and a few new pointed hats. She was hesitant to open the boxes, for fear that it was all a trick, and that, when she opened the boxes, there would be nothing in them.

The queen noticed the young witch's hesitation. Although she was relatively silent about most of her life, she had told the queen some things about her home life, growing up as a child. Her father appeared aloof towards her, her mother verbally abusing her and sometimes not speaking to her at all, with the occasional push or slap. And, her twin, who was lavished with attention and affection, and never treated Elphaba as her equal. The only ally the girl seemed to have in her family was her younger sister, Nessa Rose, who was also the Wicked Witch of the East. Elphaba often spoke of her with affection, and told the queen that Nessa Rose, who hadn't been born with green skin, had gone as far as enchanting her skin green, so as to be more like Elphaba. This way, they could rule over Munckinland together, as the Wicked Witch of the West, and the Wicked Witch of the East.

The queen genuinely felt for the young witch. The girl's background was strangely like her own, and, for once, she felt as though she had found a kindred spirit. This also troubled the queen a bit. She felt a connection to the girl, and had felt love for her, growing day after day. However, love was a weakness, but, try as the queen might, she couldn't staunch those feelings. So, she kept them hidden with all her might, except from the girl. No one, absolutely no one, could know how she felt.

The queen looked at the young witch, who was still hesitantly touching the boxes. "Well? Go ahead, open them." She heard the amusement and affection in her own voice, and was thankful that no one else was around to hear. Elphaba opened the first box. Inside was a riding outfit nearly identical to the queen's—the only difference was that the long riding jacket was black instead of red. Everything else was the same. Elphaba felt a very rare grin spread across her face, and, when she looked next to her, was met with the queen's own warm smile. Elphaba was thankful that no one else was around to see this.

"Oh Regina, I love them. Thank you," she told her, then added, "we'll match."

"Open the next box," the queen said, with a nod towards the unopened box. Elphaba opened the second box to find a pair of black leather riding boots. "These are beautiful, Regina. I'm going to try everything on." She picked up her new riding outfit, and went behind the screened that she usually changed behind.

"Let me know if you need help, dear," she heard Regina say. Automatically, Elphaba responded with, "I'm not stupid! I can do it myself," and then flinched at the harshness of her words. The queen was just trying to be helpful, but, for Elphaba, old habits were hard to break. Still, she felt guilty. "However, I will let you know if I do need some help," she added in a lighter tone. She had the leather pants and the blouse on, but for some reason was struggling with the boots. "Um….Regina…." Everything in her was determined to put the boots on herself, but she was beginning to get frustrated.

As if sensing her frustration—and knowing how stubborn the girl could be, never asking for help—Regina stepped around the screen. Elphaba was sitting on a stool, one boot only half on, her face twisted into a frustrated scowl. The queen felt a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Whereas most people would be put off by the young witch's moody personality, the queen secretly loved it, and the girl's feistiness just endeared her to the queen even more.

Without saying anything—she didn't want to embarrass or anger the girl any further—she walked over to her, knelt down, and took Elphaba's leg in her hands. She gently bent Elphaba's leg down a bit more, feeling the witch's muscles relax at her touch, and, just as gently, tugged the boot up over the rest of her leg. She did the same with the other boot, and finally both of them were on.

"There," she said, patting Elpbaba's knee. Elphaba glared, which was becoming just as common as her scowl. "Don't fret, dear. You're certainly not stupid. Riding boots, when they're new, are quite stiff, and therefore difficult to put on. Once you break them in, you'll be able to get them on without any help." She saw Elphaba's scowl relax, and Regina smiled at her. She stood, and held out her hand to help Elphaba up. The girl, somewhat reluctantly, allowed the queen to pull her up. The stood for a moment, still holding hands, the queen's thumb gently caressing her knuckles. She felt the love she had developed for the queen swell in her chest, and realized she had never felt this amount of love towards her own mother, or even her own twin. It was the same love she felt for her younger sister, Nessa Rose. Still, however, she wasn't used to this feeling, and it frightened her a bit. Elphaba broke the hand holding first.

"I'm going to put on the jacket," she said, picking it up from where it was hanging. She slipped her arms through the sleeves, and, before she could button up the jacket herself, the queen decided to do it for her. Automatically, her fists clenched, and she felt her muscles twitch, and then she relaxed. She had grown to trust the queen, and allowed her to do things that she had never allowed anyone else to do. Once the jacket was buttoned, the queen looked at her, gently cupping Elphaba's cheek, and Elphaba let herself smile a bit. She turned, and went over to her full length mirror, admiring how she looked, a smile starting to spread over her face. She noticed the queen behind her, and although she had a warm expression on her face, Elphaba also noticed a hint of sadness. Not sure how to deal with this, she decided to change the subject a bit.

"May I see my horse?"

"Of course. I'll take you to him."

Elphaba walked with the queen to the stables, and they went inside. Elphaba waited near the door of the stable, as the queen went into one of the stalls. She came out, leading a horse, and Elphaba gasped. He was white, with large black patches, and his face was white on one side, and black on the other. His mane was split into half black, and half white, and his tail was black. His hooves and ankles were white, so it looked as though he was wearing socks, and his eyes were just as dark as Elphaba's, though she could instantly tell that his eyes were kind and patient eyes.

"Do you like him?" the queen asked, standing in front of her with Elphaba's new horse. "He's Arabian, so he's a bit slighter in build than my steed, but I thought his slightness would fit you better than a larger horse." The queen regarded the horse. "I liked his coloring, and he has very kind eyes."

"I love him," Elphaba said, feeling herself fill up with so much emotion. She tentatively reached up to touch his nose, and the horse nuzzled her hand. "Does he have a name?"

"I was leaving that up to you," the queen told her.

Elphaba thought. "Lasher." She noticed the queen cock an eyebrow at her. "It was a name that just seemed to fit. He looks like his name should be 'Lasher,'" she said with a shrug.

"Fair enough. Now, come over here so I can show you how to mount the saddle properly." Elphaba walked around the side of Lasher. "Put your foot in the stirrup, grab onto the saddle for support, and push off the ground with your other foot, while pulling yourself up, and swing your leg over." Elphaba did this easily, and the queen was surprised by how natural Elphaba appeared on the horse, her feet going into the stirrups, her posture straightening, her hands holding the reigns properly. "You look like a natural. Are you sure you've never done this before?" she teased. Elphaba, surprisingly, laughed. "I promise you, I've never been on a horse."

"Well, you seem like you know what you're doing. Shall we get going?"

As they were riding, they came upon a village that they chose to pass through. "Make way for the queen!" Elphaba heard one of the knights say. She rode behind Regina, the guards on black steeds on both sides of them. The villagers stood along the road, and bowed to the queen, who regarded them with distaste. Elphaba glared down at them, and she saw their faces flash with recognition and fear. There was panic mixed in as well, and she could tell that her alliance with the queen distressed the villagers. The Evil Queen and the Wicked Witch of the West were a deadly combination. _Yes, you should fear the both of us. _She already frightened people on her own, but she liked the fact that her alliance with the queen was making people fear her even more. Not to mention, her new elaborate wardrobe made her look more powerful and regal. Elphaba flashed them a very wicked and malicious smile, and saw their eyes grow wide. She kept her malicious smile in place as they rode through the village.

Once they had passed through the village, and were far enough away, the queen halted her horse, and looked over her shoulder at the young witch. Elphaba gave her horse a small kick, and she rode up next to the queen.

"You ride well, little witch," she said, calling Elphaba by her favorite nickname for the girl. She gave her own horse a slight kick, and they rode on, side by side.

"Regina…" Elphaba began.

"Yes, dear?"

"I'd like to visit my younger sister, Nessa Rose, today."

"You're younger sister…" the queen thought. "You mean the Wicked Witch of the East?"

"Yes. She's in Munchkinland today, and I'd quite like to help her torment the Munchkinlanders," Elphaba said. "Also, I miss her. I haven't had a chance to see her since I came to live with you."

"Of course you can see her. I know she means a lot to you. Would you like me to accompany you?"

"No, no, Munchkinland is quite far, and I usually go there on my broomstick." Elphaba worried that this offended the queen. "But, I would like to bring her back with me, afterwards, because I'd really like for you to meet her. I think the two of you would get along well."

"I look forward to meeting her. If she's anything like you, I'm sure I'll like her."

"She's exactly like me," Elphaba said with a small smile, as they rode on towards the castle, side by side.

Regina was by herself in her chambers. Although Elphaba hadn't been gone long, the queen still felt lonely without the girl there. At least she had Nox with her to keep her company, and she was watching him pounce on various small objects she would summon for him—a ribbon, a feather, a ball of twine. As Nox attacked the ball of twine, Regina walked out onto her balcony, in hopes of seeing Elphaba's return.

She was in luck. She saw the girl appear outside the castle, in a plume of black and purple smoke, her broomstick in hand. _Where is her sister? _Regina thought, getting a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach, and watched the girl stomp past the guards. Regina turned, and went back into her chambers, and saw that Nox had left to greet his mistress. Regina was still bothered. _Something is wrong. _She left to find Elphaba.

She came to the door of Elphaba's bedchamber, and heard horrible, wracking sobs coming from behind the door. Regina felt her stomach drop, and quickly open the door. Elphaba had her back to her, and was holding Nox, sobbing.

"Little witch, why do you cry?" she asked, concerned, her heart starting to race. She wasn't sure if she wanted to hear the answer. Elphaba turned, and Regina was taken aback by the young witch's grief stricken expression.

"I heard you crying, and I was concerned. Tell me what has upset you, dear."

"Some little bitch, a girl named Dorothy Gale, from some land called Kansas, dropped her house on my sister, my little Nessa Rose! She's dead, and now that Dorothy has Nessa's ruby red shoes! Glinda gave them to her! They were the last thing I had of my little sister, and Glinda gave them away!"

"Oh, Elphaba…" she took Elphaba into her arms, and let the girl cry into her neck, as she stroked her hair, trying to comfort her. If it had been anyone else, the queen would have been sickened by this, but, this was Elphaba. She was different, she was special, she was hers, her Elphaba.

"I hate her! I hate Dorothy Gale and I hate Glinda! I hate the Munchkinlanders! They were laughing and celebrating! I hate all of them!"

"I know, I know. I hate them, too. We'll make them pay." The queen continued holding her, stroking her back. Regina could feel hatred for the Dorothy girl, the Munchkinlanders, and Glinda, boiling up inside of her. They had hurt her Elphaba, and that was inexcusable. Regina vowed to make them pay, make them all pay, if it was the last thing she would do.

(Author's Note: And finally, here is chapter 9! Hooray! Sorry it took so long, but, typed, the chapter was 8 pages, although it was obviously longer handwritten. Eight pages, combined with the first week of classes, means a long time to post. But, I did it, and I hope you enjoyed it. I like this chapter, because it gives some insight into the relationship that has developed between the Evil Queen and Elphaba, how they feel about each other, and the strong bond they have. I had to cut the last bit of the chapter short, the part where Elphaba tells the queen about what happened to her sister. But, it will be continued, obviously, in chapter 12. As always, thank you for reviewing, and being so passionate about this story. And, like always, happy reading!)


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: Scale of Dragon, Tooth of Wolf**

Rowan heard her alarm buzzing loudly. It was 6:30 in the morning, and, again, she hadn't slept well. She was tempted to just forgo her first day at work, and just sleep, but she was determined to keep her word to the mayor, and to show Arabella that she could have a real job. Still bleary-eyed, she rolled out of her bed, and slapped the top of her alarm clock, turning off the annoying buzzing. _I need to borrow an outfit from Arabella! _She dashed out of her bedroom, and almost ran into her twin, who was coming down the hallway, already dressed for her first day as Mary Margaret's teaching assistant.

"Oh! Rowan, you scared me!"

"I need to borrow a work outfit from you."

"Again?"

Rowan rolled her eyes. "Yes, again. This is the last time though, I swear." Arabella sighed. "Oh, ok. Just don't make a mess out of…"

"Yeah, yeah, don't make a mess out of your closet. Got it." She pushed past her twin, and dashed into Arabella's room. She rummaged through her closet, until she found an outfit she was satisfied with: A white blouse, and a navy blue pencil skirt and blazer. _I'll wear the pumps I wore yesterday._

She ran back into her room, slamming the door behind her. Rowan got ready at lightning speed, determined to show up to work at 8 o'clock on the dot. She did the smoky eye look again, but left off the eyeliner, and just put on mascara. She did her lips in a deep shade of red, which looked great with the navy blue skirt and blazer. She left off her rings, which felt strange for her, and wore dangly silver earrings instead of hoops. She pulled out her curling iron, and went to work on her hair. The curls were loose curls, which Rowan wanted, and she examined herself in the mirror. _I look good, _she thought. She made a few finishing touches, and left her room, Nox right behind her.

"Wow, I never thought I'd see you in a suit," Arabella said.

"Yeah, well, that makes two of us," Rowan grumbled, as she walked into the kitchen, and poured herself a cup of coffee.

"Are you excited?" Arabella asked, taking a bite of her toast.

"Sure," Rowan answered. She never understood how her twin could be so talkative and chipper in the morning.

"Well, I'm excited," Arabella told Rowan, as her twin also made herself some toast. "You know, Mary Margaret told me that the mayor's son is in her class."

Rowan paused in buttering her toast. "The mayor has a kid?"

"Yeah, apparently he's adopted. His name's 'Henry'."

_Why does that name sound so familiar? _Rowan thought. "That's…interesting, I guess," Rowan said, hiding the fact that it actually was interesting. She also felt a pang of jealousy, and didn't completely understand why. She scarfed down her toast, and started to drink her coffee.

"You know, you could be a bit more enthusiastic. Why do you have to be so grumpy in the morning?"

Rowan heaved a frustrated sigh, and continued to drink her coffee. It was way too early to have any kind of conversation, especially with her twin. She was also remembering the strange dream she had last night, the one that ended with her wanting to tear her twin's face off. She felt some kind of anger starting to bubble up inside her, but she pushed it down. Arabella hadn't actually done anything wrong. Still, Rowan wanted to talk to her about the dream, and wanted to ask her if she was having trouble with her memory also.

"Ara…" she began.

"Yeah?"

"Do you remember what life was like before we lived in Upper Darby?" she asked, sipping more of her coffee. Arabella screwed up her face in thought.

"Hmmm…you know, not really."

"Same here. Don't you find that just a tad bit weird?"

"Not really," Arabella told her. "I mean, we've been through a lot, losing mom, dad, and Tessa, so of course we wouldn't remember a lot before Upper Darby. Our minds probably blocked a lot of stuff out."

"Do you remember exactly when we found out they were dead?"

"No, but, again, our minds probably blocked out the trauma."

"But, what about small things? Can you remember anything from our childhood?"

"Of course I can!" Arabella answered. Rowan knew instantly, though, that Arabella was lying. Despite this, she let it go. _We don't have time for this, right now. _She resolved to bring it up again, later in the day, determined to figure out whether she was going crazy or not.

"Okay. Well, we both need to get going," Rowan said, grabbing her purse. She went over to Nox, who was lounging on the sofa, and gave him a kiss on the head. "See you later, fur ball." She smiled at Nox, and walked out the door with Arabella.

Out in the hallway, they were greeted by Mary Margaret and Emma. _Oh, great, these two again, _Rowan thought.

"Ready for your first day as my teaching assistant?" Mary Margaret asked, linking her arm with Arabella's.

"Yup! I'm so excited!"

Rowan felt like gagging. _THIS is why I don't have friends._

"So, what are you all dressed up for?" Emma asked, noticing the suit that Rowan was wearing.

"Work, obviously," Rowan said, with her signature scowl.

_Geeze, I won't ask again, _Emma thought.

"Oh, where are you working?" Mary Margaret asked her.

Arabella responded instead. "She's working for the mayor!"

Rowan rolled her eyes and heaved a frustrated sigh. "Thank you. Because I couldn't have answered that on my own…"

"Wait, you're working for the mayor?" Emma asked, in disbelief.

"Is that a problem?" Rowan asked, defensively. She didn't like the vibe she was getting from Emma in regards to the mayor.

Emma shrugged. "I just don't think you should trust her. If she's hired you, she probably wants something from you."

Rowan stopped walking. "I'm an artist, and a jewelry maker. I don't have tons of money, and I have no important connections. What could she possibly want from me, except for artwork or custom jewelry, both of which I would give to her? Besides, how could this possibly concern you?"

"I'm the sheriff."

"Good for you, but the last time I checked, it wasn't a crime to hire someone. So, I ask you again, how could this possibly concern you?"

Emma stared at Rowan, who just glared harder at her. "I guess it doesn't," Emma relented.

"Good," Rowan said, walking ahead of them. _Great, this early in the morning and I'm already in a bad mood. _Her hands were clenched into fists at her sides, and she was scowling even harder than before. And, even though she felt that her anger was justified, she didn't understand why she had grown so angry and defensive about the mayor. They barely knew each other, even though something told her that wasn't true. Their connection ran deeper. _I'll just chalk it up to her being kind to me._

Rowan kept walking, when she heard her twin call behind her.

"Wait! Don't you want to carpool?"

"No! I'll just walk!" Rowan responded, without even looking back at Arabella, Mary Margaret, and Emma.

_Wow, that girl is something else, _Emma thought. "Well, that was interesting."

"I'm really sorry," Arabella told them. "She's never been much of a people person."

"She'll come around," Mary Margaret told her.

"Doubt it. Twenty-five years and she's still moody and anti-social," Arabella said with a sigh.

"Well, maybe Rowan and Madame Mayor really will get along," Emma said. "They seem like a good match."

"You're telling me. She asked Rowan to be her personal assistant the first day she met her. And she keeps acting like she favors Rowan, and despises me."

"Well, she seems to despise everyone in the town, so that's nothing new," Mary Margaret pointed out.

"Then, why is she acting like she doesn't despise Rowan? Usually, it's the other way around, when it comes to the two of us."

"Give it time," Emma said, although something was telling her that the mayor wouldn't despise Rowan.

Rowan was walking all the way to the mayor's office. And, surprisingly, walking to the mayor's office helped to calm her down and clear her head. Storybrooke was actually quite a nice town, and it was beginning to grow on Rowan. It wasn't overpopulated, and, for some reason, Rowan felt more at home in Storybrooke than she ever did in Upper Darby, or anywhere before that. That last thought puzzled Rowan. _Where the hell was I before Upper Darby? _She wracked her brain, and was in such deep thought, that she ran right into Regina Mills.

"Oh! Oh my god, I'm so sorry Mayor Mills…err..Regina. I was in such deep thought that I didn't even see you!" Rowan saw annoyance briefly flash across the mayor's face, and Rowan felt her own face grow hot. _Oh shit…_

But, the annoyance was quickly gone from the mayor's face, and Rowan saw warmth, and a flash of amusement in her eyes, although her face remained neutral.

"It's quite alright, dear," Regina said to her. "Just try to pay better attention next time." Rowan had a feeling that if this had been said to anyone else, it would have been a reprimand. _Why is she being so kind to me? _Rowan was pulled out of this thought suddenly, when she heard a voice ask, "Which fairytale character are you?"

Rowan looked down at where the voice came from. The mayor's arm was around a boy of about ten years old, with brown hair, and an inquisitive but friendly face. He wore a navy blue sweater, a white button down shirt, khakis, and sneakers. He also had a backpack and a "Tron" metal lunchbox. _This must be Henry._

"Um, fairytale character?" Rowan asked, puzzled. _What the hell kind of question is that?_

"Yeah, everyone in Storybrooke is a fairytale character, they just don't remember it because of the curse," Henry told her. "But, I don't know which fairytale character you are…"

Rowan looked at Regina for help. "My son has a very big imagination," Regina said, warmly. "Henry, this is Rowan. She's new here, and she's going to be my assistant."

"So, you came to Storybrooke on your own. That means you're not part of the curse."

"Henry!" Regina said. "If you keep talking about a curse, you'll scare her off."

"It's okay, it takes a lot to scare me," Rowan told her. Before Henry could add anything about curses and fairytales, Rowan changed the subject. "So, um, walking him to school?" Rowan asked, nodding towards Henry.

"Yes, I am. Would you like to join us?" Regina inquired. It was a harmless enough question, but Rowan still felt panicked. She never had good people skills, and something like this freaked her out. At the same time, some part of her mind told her it would be fine, it was Regina.

"Sure," Rowan finally answered, falling easily into step next to Regina.

"So, er, Henry, what grade are you in?"

"Fourth."

"Cool. Do you, um, like school?"

"Yeah, Miss Blanchard is really nice."

"Miss Blanchard?...Oh! You mean Mary Margaret. Yeah, I heard you were in her class. My twin is going to be her teaching assistant. You'll meet her today."

"You have a twin? Cool!" Henry exclaimed.

"Yeah, I guess it's cool. She's just my fraternal twin, though."

"What's a…fraternal twin?" Henry asked.

"It means they're twins, but they look different," Regina told him. "Very different," she added, with an amused smile at Rowan.

"But, I thought twins were supposed to look the same?"

"That's identical twins. Fraternal twins look different," Regina told him.

"Oh," Henry said, then grew silent for a while, as they walked along. Rowan liked the silence, and kept glancing at Regina. Rowan noticed that they were almost the same height in heels. She was also noticing that she felt strangely calm walking next to the mayor. Something felt in sync about them walking down the sidewalk together, but Rowan wasn't sure why. And, although Rowan felt like she didn't need to say anything, she felt like she should.

"So, Henry…um…you like fairytales…" _This is horrible. I have no idea how to talk to kids…._

"Yeah, Miss Blanchard gave me this book of fairytales, and I've read it about a hundred times."

_Whoa, he needs more reading material. _Rowan cocked an eyebrow at Regina, who just shrugged. Henry piped up again.

"That's why I don't know what fairytale character you are. I don't remember seeing anyone who looks like you."

Rowan shrugged. "Maybe I'm not a fairytale character."

"No, everyone in Storybrooke is," Henry told her. They finally reached his school. _Thank god, _Rowan thought, as she watched other kids being dropped off, and milling around. Henry turned to face her. "My mom is the Evil Queen from 'Snow White'," he said in a half whisper. "Don't trust her."

"I heard that," Regina said to him.

"You have been warned," Henry added, before running off to join his classmates. _I can trust her, kid. _Rowan thought. _I trust her with all my heart. _At that thought, Rowan's heart leapt. _Whoa, where did that come from? _She pushed it away, turning and leaving with Regina.

Henry was almost through the door of his school, when he turned and watched his mom walk away with that Rowan girl. He noticed the girl named Rowan stretching her fingers, and slowly wiggling them, almost flicking them. It was weird, because he had seen his mom do the same thing with her fingers so many times, and now the Rowan girl was doing it. Henry shrugged, figuring it was probably nothing, and went inside.

Arabella stood next to Mary Margaret as they watched the students stream past them. She saw the boy Henry Mills turn and look at Arabella's twin and the mayor walk away, Rowan doing her usual finger flexing that she always did when she was feeling nervous or restless. That wasn't what caused Arabella to give pause. Watching her twin and the mayor walking next to each other, something bothered Arabella and tugged at the back of her mind. It was more than the fact that Rowan looked so comfortable next to the mayor—her walk was different, her posture was different—like she was meant to be next to her. It was something more, something different, something Arabella couldn't put her finger on.

(Author's Note: Here is Chapter 10! It's the weekend, therefore I don't have any classes to go to, so I thought I'd take a moment to type up all of Chapter 10, and post it. I'm not done writing Chapter 11, and it might be another week before I post that chapter, so now you have Chapter 10 to hold you over for a while. Not sure if this one in particular is my favorite, but it's sort of a transition into Chapter 11, which I like more. And, Rowan meets Henry! That will also be an interesting dynamic between them. So, stay tuned. Keep reviewing, and, as always, happy reading!)


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: Round About the Cauldron Go**

Rowan flexed and wiggled her fingers as she and the mayor walked away from Henry's school. What Henry had said was suddenly making her feel nervous, restless, and agitated. Something gnawed at the back of her mind, again, and Rowan had to push it away.

"So…Henry is quite…"

"Precocious?" Regina finished.

"Yeah. Does he really think that everyone in this town is a fairytale character?" she asked, as they walked along.

"Unfortunately," Regina told her.

"And, he thinks this because of a book that Mary Margaret gave him," Rowan said. It was more of a statement, than a question.

"Yes."

"Wow. Good job messing with a kid's imagination, Mary Margaret," Rowan mumbled, and she noticed Regina smile. Rowan's mouth twitched a bit, as she felt a smile threatening to stretch across her face. Regina was amused by what she said, and that made Rowan feel happy, though she didn't know why. "And, he really believes you're the evil queen?" This last part made alarm bells go off in Rowan's mind.

"He does. I must admit, it has been detrimental to our relationship."

Rowan felt herself grow angry at this. "Your relationship with your son is messed up because of a book that Mary Margaret gave him?!"

"Yes. I'm certainly not pleased about that, and Miss Blanchard knows it."

"What a fucking idiot!" Rowan exclaimed, referring to Mary Margaret, not able to contain her annoyance anymore.

"Language, dear," Regina said, though she cocked an eyebrow at her in an amused manner.

"I'm sorry!" Rowan told her, still annoyed.

Regina affectionately patted her on the shoulder. "It's okay. I won't hold it against you." Regina kept her hand on Rowan's shoulder a moment longer, giving it a playful squeeze. It was the first time she had been able to affectionately touch the girl, their only other touching being business-like handshakes. Giving Rowan's shoulder a pat and playful squeeze had made Regina extremely happy, though she didn't let it show too much on her face, and she removed her hand from Rowan's shoulder, so as not to scare the girl off. She snuck a glance at Rowan, and caught a glimpse of happiness in the girl's eyes, but it quickly disappeared.

"I'm just…Is she the village idiot or something? Why did she give him the book in the first place? I'm sure your relationship with him would be much better if she hadn't given him that stupid book." Rowan was pissed, extremely pissed, though she didn't exactly know why. _Why do I care so much about Henry's relationship with his mom? _Sure, it was an annoying situation, but she didn't understand why it was making her THIS angry. Something in her mind screamed that Mary Margaret couldn't do anything right, that she always messed everything up.

Regina looked at Rowan, and raised her eyebrows. The level of the girl's anger was surprising, although Regina knew it shouldn't surprise her. It was a very Elphaba-like reaction, and Regina had often witnessed the young witch's fiery temper, though she had never been on the receiving end of it. _Elphaba is still in there! She keeps peeking out every time Rowan's emotions get out of control. _

Rowan noticed the mayor looking at her, and quickly grew embarrassed. "I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gotten that angry. It was really unprofessional." Rowan felt her face grow hot, and she hid behind her hair in embarrassment.

"No, no, it's fine. As I said, I won't hold it against you." Regina resisted reaching up, and brushing Rowan's hair behind her ear, so that she didn't feel ashamed, and instead opted for smiling warmly at the girl. Rowan caught the warm smile, and felt better, a corner of her mouth twitching up in a half smile. She didn't know why, but Regina always seemed to succeed in bringing a smile to her face, which was extremely rare. She wondered why the mayor of Storybrooke made her feel happy and calm on the inside, and kept thinking back to the strange dream she had, where the queen with Regina's face had comforted her. _Evil queen…mayor…fairytale characters….What is going on? What is wrong with me?_

They continued to walk along, in comfortable silence, until they finally reached the mayor's office. "Excited about your first day at work?" Regina asked, ash she unlocked the door, and they both stepped inside, Regina flipping the lights on.

"Nervous would probably be a better word," Rowan said, masking the fact that she really was excited. _I get to spend the whole day with her….Like old times, _she thought. She felt bile rise in her throat, and she felt lightheaded. _What old times? Where did that thought even come from? _Regina noticed that Rowan looked sick.

"Are you alright, dear?" she asked, gently holding onto the girl's arm.

Rowan blinked a few times, and swallowed, attempting to focus on something else. "I'm fine, just nerves," she said, trying to smile. She could tell that the mayor didn't buy it, but for some reason chose not to say anything. Instead, she gave her arm a reassuring squeeze.

"Well, don't be nervous, you'll do fine." She smiled at Rowan, and let go of her arm. "Let me show you around, and tell you what I'll be expecting you to do." She walked over to a mahogany desk outside her office door—a desk that hadn't been there before she offered the girl a job. "This is your desk. You'll answer the phone, and if it's a call that is specifically for me, and needs my immediate attention, you'll transfer the call to my line." Regina showed Rowan the proper buttons to press. "Simple enough."

"Sure," Rowan said. Regina cocked an eyebrow at her. Rowan grew defensive. "It's my first office job, and I don't want to screw anything up, and have to deal with you getting angry at me." Regina looked a Rowan's scowl, a look that was challenging her to get angry at her. Regina felt herself start to smile.

"Do I amuse you?" Rowan asked her, her scowl growing.

"Yes, you do," Regina told her, and almost laughed at her taken aback expression. "I happen to be quite…fond…of your fiery personality," she told her, amusement and affection in her voice. "Now," she said, before a stunned Rowan could say anything. "If the call doesn't require my immediate attention, set up a meeting. Of course, find a good date and time, and write it down in here," Regina told her, tapping the top of a brand new leather bound planner with her fingernail. "And, if you mess up the phone call, I won't get angry at you. Mistakes happen. Although, you're quite an intelligent girl, so I don't see that happening."

Regina walked past Rowan, who was still stunned. _She keeps complimenting me like I'm someone special, and I don't understand why. _Still, she brushed it off, although she still felt as though she was going crazy. Regina proceeded to show her where the copier was, and what buttons to press to make a copy. _Okay, I have to remember all of this. I can do this. _She showed her where the filing cabinets were. Rowan's nerves started to dissipate, the more she was near Regina. She kept thinking back to her dream last night, the one that felt strangely like a memory. _Is that why I'm so calm around her? Is there really some kind of connection? _Some logical part of her told her it wasn't possible. But, something told her to make the connection although she still wasn't understanding it.

Rowan noticed the mayor watching her, her head slightly to the side, in a questioning way. "You look as though you're a million miles away," the mayor said to her.

"I…sort of was," Rowan admitted.

"Is there anything you want to talk about?"

Rowan had a feeling that Regina somehow knew how she was feeling, somehow sensed her confusion and her mixed emotions. Something in her screamed "Yes", screamed at her to tell Regina about the dream. And, Rowan fought with herself on this, finally deciding that this was not the time and place to confess anything to her new boss. Although Rowan could see the genuine warmth and concern in Regina's eyes, she still chose not to tell her. "No…not right now. Maybe some other time…" She did want to tell her, at some point, but she wasn't sure when that would be.

"Alright. When you're ready," Regina said, with a warm smile, as she gently touched Rowan's arm. "Now, get to work," she added, a playful look in her eyes, as she patted Rowan's arm, and turned, going into her office, the door clicking shut behind her. A piece of Rowan's heart felt like it broke, when the mayor closed the door, even though she knew she was just on the other side of it. _I need to get my head straight_, Rowan thought, plopping down behind her new desk. _Today is going to be a long day._

Rowan spent the entire morning answering phone calls, sometimes transferring them to the mayor's line, scheduling meetings, faxing things, filing things, and essentially trying to keep her voice from shaking as she nervously answered the calls. _I definitely need better people skills._

Finally, there was a break in what seemed like endless phone calls, and Rowan heard her stomach growl loudly. She looked down at her stomach. _Jesus, I'm hungry._

"Rowan."

Rowan's head shot up, and saw the mayor standing in front of her desk.

"Hungry?" she asked.

"Very."

She saw the mayor smile. "So am I. Would you like to join me at Granny's for lunch?"

"Sure," Rowan said, a smile spreading across her lips. She didn't understand why this simple invitation made her so happy. She stood up, slinging her purse over her shoulder, and left with Regina.

They walked to Granny's Diner, and Rowan was actually really enjoying Regina's company. The more she was around her, the more comfortable she felt. They walked in silence for a while, until Regina decided to break the silence.

"This is a very interesting purse," Regina commented, referring to Rowan's blue and black bohemian style bag with the little brass bells. Regina fingered the little bells and they jingled.

"Oh, thanks. It's my favorite bag, because I can fit a sketch book in it, and a book to read," she paused. "Sorry, it's kind of unprofessional, but it's really the only bag I have."

"I like it," Regina said.

Rowan stared at her. "You do?"

"Mmhmm. It's very you."

Rowan furrowed her eyebrows, slightly confused. Regina was so polished—her purse was a designer handbag—yet, she liked Rowan's purse. Rowan chose to shrug it off. _If I keep dwelling on things like this, I'm going to go nuts, more-so than I already am._

Rowan was happy when they reached Granny's Diner, and she watched as Regina held the door open for her. Rowan entered Granny's, and nervously stopped in her tracks as it felt as though everyone in the diner was staring at her. She felt Regina come up next to her, and lightly touch her on the arm. "Booth, or table?"

"Surprise me," Rowan responded, eying the people in the diner. The back of her neck was tingling, and she didn't understand the vibe coming from these people.

"How about a booth by the window?" Regina asked, lightly caressing Rowan's arm, as though she were trying to comfort her.

"Sounds good," Rowan said, ass Regina guided her in the direction of a booth by the window. They both slide into the booth at the same time, when a scantily clad waitress came over. _Wow, for a diner called 'Granny's' they sure do hire waitresses who dress like whores._

"Madame Mayor, hello," the waitress said, and Rowan caught a hint of distaste in her voice, though it was just a small hint.

"Hello, Ruby," Regina said without a smile.

"And, who might this be?" Ruby asked, looking at Rowan.

"I'm Rowan. I'm Regina's assistant," she said, disinterested in making conversation. She noticed the waitress's eyes go up at the word "assistant."

"So, you must be new here, I haven't seen you around."

"Yeah," Rowan said, starting to tap her nails on the table top. She wasn't even looking at Ruby, instead, she was looking out the window.

Regina sensed Rowan's disinterest and discomfort, and cleared her throat. "Ruby, may we please have the menus? We're both quite hungry," Regina said, smiling tightly. _Can't she tell that Rowan doesn't want to chat? And, the poor girl is hungry!_

"Oh, sure," Ruby said, handing them both menus. "Would you like anything to drink?"

"Coffee," Regina said.

"Same," was Rowan's response.

"Okay, two cups of coffee. I'll bring those out to you soon," Ruby smiled, and then left to make the coffee. _She seems nice, maybe I should have been a bit more friendly…._Rowan took in everything on the menu, not quite sure what to get.

"See anything you like?" Regina asked nonchalantly.

"I don't know…" Rowan said, scanning the pages. "The salads look really good, but I'm not sure if that's what I want."

"You can have anything your heart desires," Regina said, looking up from the menu to see what Rowan's reaction would be. Rowan's head immediately shot up, and she stared at Regina, her mouth slightly agape. Recognition flashed across her eyes. _She recognized that saying! _Regina thought, brimming with happiness, though she kept her face casual and stoic. Rowan continued to stare at her, obviously at a loss for words, as Regina watched her intently. The recognition in her eyes had also become mixed with confusion, as Rowan didn't understand why that particular saying was so familiar to her.

"I…what?" Rowan managed to get out, her mind reeling. Regina was staring at her so intensely that she swore that Regina was willing her to remember something. Rowan was pulled out of her thoughts when the waitress named Ruby appeared with their coffees.

"Here ya go," Ruby said, setting their cups of coffee down in front of them.

"Thank you."

"Thanks."

"Are you ready to order?" Ruby asked.

"I'll just have the garden salad," Rowan told her.

"I'll have the same thing," Regina responded. Ruby took their orders, and their menus, and left. Regina reached for the containers of cream and sugar, and watched Rowan do the same thing. Regina also noticed how they both put in the same amount of cream and sugar, and held the spoon to stir in the exact same way. Rowan wasn't paying attention to the fact that Regina was watching her. Regina saw how Rowan's pinky finger stuck out, in a dainty way, as she was stirring with the spoon. _So cute, _Regina thought, and glanced down at her own hand. She was holding her pinky in the same way, how she always held her pinky when she was stirring or drinking something. _Have we always been this in sync? _Regina wondered. She picked up her coffee cup to take a sip, and at the exact same time, so did Rowan, although Rowan didn't notice this because she was looking out the window.

Regina paused in taking a sip of her coffee, and looked at Rowan, really looked at her, without the green skin. She took in every detail, something she hadn't taken the opportunity to do before. She had sometimes done the same thing with Henry, especially when he was a baby. Something made her insides twist at that thought, and made her throat clench. Emotions she had buried many, many, years ago started to surface, and once again, Regina had to stuff them down into the depths of her soul. Once she finally had her emotions under control, she cleared her tightened throat.

Rowan came out of whatever trance she was in, and sheepishly looked at Regina, as she set her coffee cup down. "Sorry, I was thinking."

"Don't be sorry," Regina told her. "What were you thinking about?"

Rowan shrugged. "Just a weird dream I had last night."

This peaked Regina's interest. "What was it about?" She saw Rowan open her mouth, saw a look in Rowan's eyes that said, "I want to tell you!" But, then Rowan's expression changed, and that look in her eyes was lost.

"It's really not that important," she said with a shrug. "I mean, to be honest, I have weird dreams all the time." _Yeah, when I'm actually able to sleep. _"Perks of being an artist, I guess. They give me inspiration."

At that moment, Ruby walked over with their salads. "Enjoy!" she said, flashing them a smile, and walking off. Regina watched Rowan immediately start eating her salad, almost scarfing it down, the occasional lettuce leaf dangling out of her mouth. Even in Fairytale Land, the girl had been a very enthusiastic eater, though never to the point that it came across as grotesque. The queen had always made sure the girl ate a proper meal, especially since, living in that shack in the woods, her food was always sparse. Sparse to the point where the girl had looked a little too boney, the queen had noticed, when she first came to live with her, eventually filling out and looking healthy after a proper diet.

Regina looked at Rowan now, and noticed how the girl had gotten a little bit of that boniness back. _Is she not eating properly? _Regina worried.

"So, Rowan, what do you do, other than art and jewelry making?" Regina asked casually, as she started to eat her salad.

Rowan twisted her mouth in an attempt to get a rogue lettuce leaf in her mouth, eventually succeeding. Regina almost laughed, her fondness for the girl still present.

Rowan dabbed her mouth with her napkin. "Not much really," she said with a shrug. "I really like to read."

"I see. Whose your favorite author?"

Rowan thought about it. "It's a tie between Alexander Dumas, Charles Dickens, Dostoyevsky, and Neil Gaiman. He's more contemporary. I do love Stephen King, too. And, J.R.R. Tolkien," Rowan said. "Actually, I can't narrow it down…" she added, with almost a defeated look.

Regina remembered how Elphaba would endlessly pour over spell books in her library, and felt a smile tug at her mouth. _She really hasn't changed, _she thought, as she chewed her salad.

"Anything else?" Regina asked, and watched Rowan shake her head. This bothered Regina a bit.

"Do you cook?" she asked.

"To be honest, I don't know how to cook. No one ever taught me."

Regina almost blanched. _Had her parents been that neglectful? Not teaching her such a basic skill? _Living in a castle, with people to cook for them, Regina had never bothered to ask the girl if she had this skill.

"No one ever taught you?" Regina asked, and felt herself growing angry at the girl's parents. _What the hell was wrong with them? Why did they have to neglect such a wonderful girl?_

"No. Arabella knows how to cook, though. Obviously my parents took the time to teach my twin that skill," she said, resentment in her voice. "What about you? I assume you can cook, since you're a mom, and all."

Regina chuckled. "Yes, I can cook. I enjoy it. I also bake, which I actually enjoy more than cooking."

"I don't know how to bake. Obviously no one took the time to teach me that, either," Rowan said, picking at her salad. Regina felt her heart break. _Oh, Rowan…._

"I'll teach you," Regina decided. _I'll do what her parents neglected to do. At least she has one person in her life who cares._

"You'll teach me?" Rowan said in disbelief.

"I certainly will," Regina said. _I'll always take care of you, dear._

"Why? Because you pity me? I'm not some charity case, you know," Rowan said, growing defensive.

"No, I don't pity you, dear," Regina told her. "I know you're very independent, and can take care of yourself. After all, you've managed to sell your jewelry and your art to galleries and boutiques. You can accomplish anything," Regina said, smiling at her. She saw Rowan's defensiveness dissipate.

"So, then, why do you want to teach me?"

Regina shrugged. "I've never really taught anyone how to cook or bake. It might be an interesting venture." Regina saw Rowan eying her, assessing the situation, and noticed Elphaba peeking through, just a little bit. _I know you're in there. Come to me! _Regina willed her.

"Okay," Rowan said, and for a moment, Regina wondered if some part of Rowan had heard her thoughts. "But, in return for you teaching me how to cook and bake, I'll paint you a picture." Regina saw a spark of playfulness in Rowan's eyes.

"Can it be a painting you've already done?" Regina asked. Ever since she saw the paintings of the green skinned witch and the evil queen, she had been wanting them for her own.

"Okay, it can be one I've already done," she said with a nod. "I'll let you pick it out." Rowan cracked a grin, and, because grinning didn't come naturally to the girl, the grin came across as awkward, her mouth stretched a little too wide, almost in a grimace.

Despite this, Regina felt a grin form on her own mouth. Outside observers—and anyone who didn't know about the bond they had, and their love for each other, although Rowan still didn't understand that love yet—would think that they were both grinning maliciously at each other. But, the grins were grins of love and affection, from two people who weren't quite good at expressing love and affection.

(Author's Note: Here is Chapter 11, earlier than I thought I would be posting it! I hope you enjoyed reading this. Unfortunately, this particular author's note won't be super long, because I'm extremely tired. Its been a LONG week. But, I just wanted to tell you, thank you for the reviews! I always enjoy reading them. And thank you for the new follows! Happy reading!)


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12: A Deed Without a Name**

Elphaba's sorrow came from the depths of her soul. She had lost her little Nessa Rose, the first person she had ever truly loved, the only person in her family who loved her, and viewed her as a human, not a green skinned monster.

In her anger and sorrow, she continued to cry against the queen's neck, as the queen stroked her back. She had never sought comfort with anyone—it was usually something that made her feel sick—but, she trusted the queen, and, for the first time in her life, allowed herself to be held and comforted.

"Please stop crying, dear," she heard the queen say, her voice full of genuine concern and sympathy. Elphaba pulled away, wiping her tears. Crying would do no good. Crying would not bring back Nessa, and crying would not help her get the ruby red shoes back.

Elphaba heard a loud pop, and Glinda appeared in the room, long flowing blonde hair, and pink sparkly dress. The queen spun around. "You are not welcome here!" The queen's voice was filled with hatred, as much hatred as Elphaba was feeling at that moment. Her feelings toward her twin were always a mixture of resentment and anger, but, now, she felt nothing but hatred towards her.

"My business here concerns my twin!" Glinda said, addressing the queen. Elphaba's hatred seethed. She had no respect for the queen, and Elphaba couldn't control herself, rushing past the queen, and standing in front of Glinda, her anger boiling over.

"Those shoes were the last thing I have of my sister, and you gave them away!" Elphaba shouted this at her twin.

"Let me explain…" Glinda began. _Explain?! What the hell does she have to explain?!_

"No! You don't get to speak! There's no excuse for what you did! You never loved Nessa like I did. You don't even care that she's dead!" She was breathing hard. "You are no twin of mine," she said with as much malice as she could put into the statement.

She lashed out, her hand striking out to claw at her twin's face. She wanted to rake her nails down her face, mar her beauty, tear her flesh. She wanted to scar the beautiful skin, so that Glinda knew what it was like to feel ugly. She wanted her to feel pain, so that she knew what pain felt like, what Elphaba felt like on the inside.

Her nails were a fraction of an inch from Glinda's face, when Glinda vanished in a pink bubble. Elphaba screamed in frustration, and threw herself at her bedchamber door, clawing the wood. She kicked it, then aimed the side of her fist at the wall. Ignoring the pain in her hand, she summoned a ball of black witch fire in the palm of her hand, ready to destroy her entire room.

She was so angry that she didn't see the queen come over to her, and close her hand into a fist with her own hand, extinguishing the witch fire. Elphaba glared at a wall, panting, and felt the queen take her hands in her own.

"You've hurt yourself," the queen said, seeing Elphaba's bloodied fingertips and nails from the girl raking her nails down the wood of the door. Regina was sure she had some splinters stuck in them, too. And, Elphaba had hurt her hand from hitting the wall, though nothing felt broken. She felt Elphaba's hand twitch slightly, and could already tell that the hand would be bruised. The sight of Elphaba hurt—in more ways than one—made Regina's heart hurt.

"I don't care that I've hurt myself," Elphaba said through gritted teeth, still too angry to make proper eye contact.

"Well, I do," the queen told her. She turned Elphaba's hands, so that the palms faced up, and in each palm, placed a gentle kiss, as her magic flowed across Elphaba's palms, healing her fingers and her bruised hand. This was the first time the queen had actually used her magic to heal someone, used her magic for something good, instead of tormenting and torturing. She would always make an exception for Elphaba.

The queen examined Elphaba's hands, and was pleased with her work, though she wished, more than anything, that she could use her magic to heal Elphaba's heart. _Why do I care so much? _the queen thought.

"There, all better," she said, giving Elphaba's hands a gentle squeeze, attempting to smile reassuringly at the young witch. Elphaba looked down at her hands, seeing that the queen had completely healed them. _Those kisses were the most tender things I've ever felt. Even my mother was never that tender._

"Thank you," Elphaba said. "Any chance you could use your magic to bring Nessa back?"

"You know magic doesn't work that way. And, even if it did, it would come with a great price."

"I would pay that price, if it brought back my Nessa Rose," Elphaba said, her composure crumbling as her tears started to fall again. The queen cupped Elphaba's face in her hand. _I would never let you pay that price, even if it meant you getting your sister back. I couldn't handle it._

"I need to destroy Dorothy Gale," Elphaba decided, lifting her eyes to the queen, who was still cupping her face. "She's on her way to the Emerald City to see the Wizard of Oz, and I can't let her succeed."

"I'll help you," the queen said.

"No! I'm fully capable of doing this myself!" Elphaba said stubbornly.

"I know! I know you are. But, if I can't bring your sister back, if I can't heal your heart, at least let me help you destroy that Dorothy girl," the queen said, adding, "And then, when we succeed, we can rub it in Glinda's face." She grinned wickedly, and watched Elphaba glare at her stubbornly. She wanted to strangle her, for being so unbelievably stubborn sometimes, but knew that she loved her far too much to actually do so.

"Fine," Elphaba relented, crossing her arms. Though she was scowling, the queen still saw love and a hint of relief in her eyes. The queen caressed Elphaba's face, and for a brief moment, saw a flash of happiness in her eyes, but it quickly disappeared and was replaced by something else, something darker, something familiar.

"Elphaba," the queen began. "I understand how you feel. I lost someone I loved, once, too."

Elphaba's eyes met the queen's and she saw sadness and pain, the same thing she was feeling on the inside. Not knowing how to properly show affection, or even how to comfort someone, she did the only thing she could think of: she stepped forward, and rested her forehead on the queen's shoulder, slowly reaching her hands up to gently grasp the queen's arms, Elphaba's version of a hug.

The queen couldn't help but smile, despite her pain. She reached up, and slowly stroked Elphaba's hair.

"I'm tired," Elphaba told her, her forehead still on the queen's shoulder. "But, I need to plan Dorothy's destruction."

"You should rest first," the queen said into Elphaba's hair. "And then, once you're rested, you can start planning how to destroy Dorothy. You've had a very long day, dear."

Elphaba lifted her head from the queen's shoulder, and nodded. She let the queen guide her over to her bed, and laid down on top of the bedspread, Nox jumping up onto the bed, and curling up next to her, his head tucked under her chin. She closed her eyes, which were still burning from her tears and her anger, and felt the queen sit down on the edge of the bed. She felt the queen gently stroke her hair, and between the queen's fingers moving soothingly over her hair, and Nox's purring, Elphaba drifted slowly off to sleep.

The queen watched Elphaba's eyes close, and her scowl soften, though her hands remained closed into fists, as though Elphaba was ready for a fight, even in her sleep. The queen felt a hint of warmth creep into her heart as she watched the young witch sleep, and hoped that she would never lose her, hoped that Elphaba would never leave her.

"Sleep peacefully, little witch," she quietly told her, as she gently placed a kiss on her temple.

(Author's Note: Chapter 12, yay! I finally have the time to post it, since it's the weekend, and I don't have tons of homework, for once. I really loved writing this chapter. Its a side of the Wicked Witch that you don't get to see in "The Wizard of Oz" or even in "Wicked." You also don't get to see this side of the Evil Queen, on the show. So, because of that, I loved writing this chapter. And, I hope you loved reading it! As always, review and review. Happy reading!)

(P.S. This is sort of off topic, but I'm dressing as the Evil Queen for Halloween! I'm so excited. I found the perfect costume from the Pyramid Collection's online catalog, and my mom ordered it for me, as sort of an early birthday present, which I really wasn't expecting. So, yeah, I get to be the Evil Queen for Halloween! Yay!)


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13: Not So Happy, Yet Much Happier**

Rowan lay sprawled out on her sofa, Nox stretched out on her chest, exhausted from her first day of work. _Who knew that having a real job could be so tiring? _She had changed into a pair of white cut-off shorts, and a charcoal gray, off the shoulder , long sleeve top. Arabella was in the kitchen, doing who knows what—Rowan never paid much attention to what her twin did—while Rowan stroked Nox, silently telling him about her day. She never liked to talk out loud to Nox when anyone else was around, especially Arabella, since she tended to think Rowan was crazy. When she lived in Upper Darby, she always talked to Nox, since she had no one else around to tell her she was being weird or crazy. Now, however, she had to resort to silently talking to him, and because of their strong bond, never doubted the he could hear her thoughts.

Nox calmly stared at her, his eyes half lidded, as he purred, and laid on her chest. _Regina is really nice, _she told him silently. _I like her. It's weird because I've never had anyone pay attention to me before. But, she is, for some reason. She's even going to teach me how to cook, which my own mother never even took the time to teach me how to do. It seems crazy, but, Regina makes me feel…I don't know…calm? I keep thinking back to that dream I had. Is there some kind of connection, or am I just crazy? _Rowan put one of her arms behind her head, and watched Nox. His tail was swishing back and forth, and he had started to kneed her chest. _Her son Henry said something about fairytale characters and a curse. The weird thing is, when he said 'curse', an alarm seemed to go off in my head. Then, he said his mom was the evil queen, and I've been having those dreams about a queen with Regina's face. None of this can be connected, right? It's too farfetched…isn't it? _Nox's purring was stronger, and he seemed to be staring through her, his eyes no longer half-lidded. _Why do I get the feeling that you know way more about this than I do? _She petted his head, and he leaned into her hand. She smiled. _DO you know more about this? Blink once for 'yes' and twice for 'no.' _She watched Nox slowly close his eyes, and then open them, and continued to stare at her. Rowan stopped petting him, and felt her heart start to race. _Did he really just…._But she was pulled out of her thoughts by Arabella.

"Rowan!"

"Jeeze, what?" she asked, looking around Nox and at her twin, who was standing in the kitchen, and staring at her, annoyed. "What? What the fuck is your problem?"

"I've been trying to get your attention for the past ten minutes, and you've been off in some kind of wonderland," she said, crossing her arms.

Rowan sighed and rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry," she said, even though she wasn't. "I'm just tired from work today. What do you need?"

"I don't 'need' anything," Arabella snapped. "I was trying to tell you that we're going over to Emma's and Mary Margaret's for dinner in a few hours."

"We?" Rowan asked.

"Yes, 'we.' It's about time you socialized a bit more, and it would be rude if I went and you just stayed here."

"They're your friends," Rowan told her.

"Yes, but they're our neighbors," Arabella said. "Besides, I've gone through all this trouble to bake an apple pie."

Rowan sat up. "I told you that I wanted to use those apples for a still life!"

"There's still a few left in the basket."

"I wanted to paint ALL of them in the basket. Couldn't you have just waited?"

"Rowan, you are being ridiculous. Obviously the mayor brought them over so we could enjoy them. Apples are meant to be eaten."

Rowan set Nox down, and climbed off the sofa. "Those were my apples! She brought them over for me, not you!"

Arabella rolled her eyes. "Now you just sound selfish. They were obviously for the both of us."

"She doesn't even like you!" Rowan shouted. She was so mad at her twin. Arabella never seemed to consider Rowan's feelings, in any situation. Still, Rowan couldn't help but wonder why she was so angry at her twin. She kept thinking back to that dream, and something kept gnawing at the back of her mind. She couldn't help but feel that her anger towards her twin was completely justified.

"Yes, Rowan, I've realized that the mayor doesn't like me, though I still have no idea why," Arabella said.

"Well, it's about time the tables were turned," Rowan said.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means, that it's about time someone paid attention to me, and treated me like I was worth something, and treated you like shit."

"I'm glad that makes you feel good," Arabella said, her hands on her hips.

"Yeah, it does," Rowan told her, and sat back down on the sofa, picking up Nox and placing him in her lap. He stretched up, placing his paws on her chest, and head bumped her face, sensing her distress, and trying to calm her. She scratched him under his chin, and kissed the top of his head. She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. The mayor's face popped into her mind, and Rowan felt herself start to calm down, a smile starting to creep onto her face.

"What are you smiling about?" an exasperated Arabella asked.

"I'm thinking about bunny rabbits," Rowan said, sarcastically.

"Right. Look, fighting isn't going to get us anywhere. Let's just forget our differences for a while, and go and eat at Emma's and Mary Margaret's."

"Fine, whatever," Rowan said, leaning back into the sofa. The last thing she wanted to do was eat dinner with the three of them, but she didn't have the energy to put up a fight. Surprisingly, she wished she was back at work and with Regina. _Just suck it up for a couple of hours._

Arabella and Rowan stood outside of Emma and Mary Margaret's apartment, Arabella holding the apple pie she had just baked. "You couldn't have put some shoes on?" Arabella asked.

"We're just going across the hall," Rowan said with a shrug.

"Usually, people wear shoes when they go over to someone's house for dinner."

"I never would have known that if you hadn't told me," Rowan said, looking at her twin's white lace camisole, floral ruffled skirt, and white sparkly flats. Arabella let out an exasperated sigh.

"And did you have to bring Nox with you?" she asked, looking at her twin who was holding Nox, who looked about as happy as Rowan was.

"Either I have Nox with me, or I don't do this," Rowan told her. "You might want to knock on the door. You're pie is getting cold."

Arabella sighed again, and knocked on the door. They didn't have to wait long before Mary Margaret opened the door.

"Hi, girls!" It's good to see you! Come in," she said cheerfully, stepping aside to let them in.

"I baked you a pie," Arabella said, holding out the pie.

"Oh wow, thank you. This'll be nice to have for dessert," Mary Margaret said.

"Did you, um, forget your shoes?" Emma said, who was leaning against the kitchen counter, sipping a glass of wine.

"Yeah, I did," Rowan said. "Sometimes I forget my clothes, too."

"Rowan!" Arabella exclaimed. "I'm sorry, that's not true at all. Rowan was just too stubborn and lazy to put on shoes. Her theory is that because we're just going across the hall, she doesn't need shoes."

Mary Margaret shrugged. "Well, whatever makes you more comfortable. I won't hold it against you." She smiled warmly as she set the pie on the kitchen counter. "Have a seat, and Emma and I will serve the food." Arabella enthusiastically went over, and sat down at their small round dining room table. Rowan took her time going over to the table, and tentatively sat down, readjusting Nox onto her lap. Emma and Mary Margaret served them their food, and then sat down at the table with their plates.

"So, Arabella, what did you think of your first day?" Mary Margaret asked.

"Oh, I loved it. All of the kids were so sweet. Especially Henry, he's so clever. It was cute how he was wondering what fairytale character I was."

Rowan cocked an eyebrow as she slowly ate her food. _Hmmm, so Henry was asking Ara the same thing he asked me…_

"He is really into those fairytales," Mary Margaret said.

"But, does he really think everyone in Storybrooke is a fairytale character?" Arabella asked. Rowan said nothing, but continued to watch the three of them as she slowly ate her dinner.

"Yeah, he does," Emma said with a sigh. "He thinks I'm some kind of savior that's going to break the curse that this town is supposedly under."

Rowan's eyebrows went up, and she paused in eating, though no one seemed to notice this. The words "savior" and "curse" were making alarm bells go off in Rowan's mind, though she wasn't sure why. The back of her neck started to tingle, and something gnawed at the back of her mind again. She felt Nox start to grow agitated, his tale swishing back and forth, his paws kneeding her legs, and he was making sounds that sounded like small growls. Rowan started to pet him to try to alleviate any tension he was feeling, though she kept eating, and played it off like his growling was nothing unusual.

"Is Nox okay?" Arabella asked.

"Yeah, he's just feeling kind of crabby," Rowan said, as though it was nothing unusual. It really wasn't unusual for Nox to be crabby, especially around people he didn't like, but Rowan didn't like his growling. She couldn't remember him ever doing that before, and was bothered by the fact that he was so agitated.

"Okay…" Arabella said, obviously not satisfied with Rowan's explanation, but deciding not to push it any farther. "So, Emma, why does he think you're the savior?"

Emma shrugged. "I don't know. I'm his mom, so maybe he wants to believe I'm some kind of hero."

Rowan completely stopped eating, and set down her fork. "Regina is his mother." She said this with a glare at Emma.

"Well, Emma gave birth to him, so she's also his mother," Mary Margaret said.

"But, you obviously didn't want him," Rowan said, still glaring at Emma. Nox's tail was still swishing back and forth, and he was still growling.

"At the time, no I didn't want him. But, he's in my life now, and I want to get to know him."

"Was it an open adoption?" Rowan asked. She was growing increasingly angry and agitated.

"No," Emma told her, almost hesitantly. "It was a closed adoption."

"Do you not know the terms of a closed adoption?"

"Yeah, I do," Emma said, starting to grow defensive. "But he came and found me."

"I see," Rowan said, and then looked at Mary Margaret. "This wouldn't happen to have anything to do with a certain book of fairytales that you gave him, now would it?" Rowan's voice was deadly calm, though she felt herself growing infuriated.

"I'm afraid so," Mary Margaret said, and Rowan could tell that Mary Margaret was growing nervous. _You should be nervous, Mary Margaret, _Rowan thought, wanting to reach across the table and strangle her. She started to think of ways of harming all of them, all the while staring at Mary Margaret, expressionless, and watched Mary Margaret's eyes widen. Rowan almost smiled maliciously, but was pulled out of her thoughts when Emma spoke up.

"How much has Regina told you? Emma asked her.

Rowan cut her eyes to Emma, and glared hard at her. "Why? Trying to find ways to antagonize her?" Rowan asked, feeling her hand clench into a fist.

"Madame Mayor does that well enough on her own," Emma said, starting to glare back at Rowan. Nox hissed loudly, and everyone but Rowan jumped.

"Just because you and Mary Margaret hate her doesn't mean I have to!" Rowan said, almost in a snarl. "I don't know what the hell your problem is, but the mayor has been nothing but kind and gracious to me."

"That's because she's probably using you! She uses everyone in this town!" Emma was surprised when Rowan stood up, and threw a glass of water in her face.

Rowan bent down, and looked into Emma's eyes. "Maybe you need to learn some respect." Nox hissed at Emma again, and swiped at her with his paw.

Rowan straightened herself, turned around, and stomped towards the door, livid. She heard Arabella stand up.

"Rowan!" her twin shouted. Rowan made no attempt to acknowledge her twin as she opened the door, and slammed it shut behind her.

Rowan got out into the hallway and exhaled. She never remembered being that angry before, and wondered why her anger had gotten so out of control. She paced back and forth, trying to calm herself as she held Nox. _What the hell is wrong with me? _She never remembered being so confrontational, but when it came to the mayor, Rowan grew almost protective. _I don't get this. I don't get any of this. And why was Nox so ridiculously crabby? And, earlier, when he blinked once…._

She was still pacing, when she heard the clicking of high heels coming closer and closer.

"Rowan, I was just coming to see you," she heard Regina Mills say. Rowan stopped pacing, and turned to look at Regina, her mood starting to improve. "Are you alright, dear?" Regina looked Rowan up and down, noticing the anger and aggravation in her eyes, and her bare feet. _Why was she pacing in the hall, barefoot? If this has anything to do with Arabella, I'll…_

"I'm fine," Rowan told her, obviously fibbing. Rowan was looking at the man next to Regina, and back at Regina. _Ah, she doesn't want to say anything with someone else around._

"Rowan, this is Sydney Glass," she said, gesturing to the man standing next to her. "He works for the Daily Mirror."

Rowan looked at the dark skinned man, who was almost hidden behind the stack of boxes he had in his arms.

"Ah, so you're Regina's new assistant. I'd shake your hand, but mine are full," she heard him say from behind the boxes. His voice sounded oddly familiar to her, and she didn't know why.

"It's okay, I don't really like shaking hands anyway," Rowan said. "So, um, are the boxes for me?"

"Yes, they are, dear. They're your new business wardrobe."

"Oh! Wow, that was quick. Okay, let me unlock the door." She fished her key out of her back pocket, and unlocked her apartment door. She stepped inside, and set Nox down, who immediately rubbed against Regina's legs, purring, before he ran to his cat tree, and climbed to the top level of it. "I guess you can put the boxes on the sofa."

Sydney carefully walked over to the sofa, and set the boxes down. When he straightened, and Rowan saw his face, her eyes widened slightly. _Why does he look familiar? I swear I've seen his face somewhere. But, where? _She thought, though she chose not to say anything.

"Thank you, Sydney. That'll be all," Regina said, patting him on the shoulder.

"Right. It was nice meeting you," Sydney said, and Rowan watched him leave, Regina closing the door behind him.

"Well, why don't you open the boxes," Regina said, smiling.

"Ok," Rowan said, going over to the boxes. She looked at them, almost hesitant to open them. _I don't think anyone has ever given me new clothes before, _Rowan thought, as something gnawed at the back of her mind again. She went to open one of the boxes, her fingers skimming over the smooth white surface, when she stopped, hesitating. She heard Regina come up behind her.

"Well? Go ahead, open them," she said.

"I-I will, I'm just…"

"What, dear?" Regina asked, starting to grow concerned.

"I'm just having a bit of déjà vu," Rowan told her, her brow furrowed. Her back was still to Regina, and she didn't see the smile grow on Regina's face.

"Well, that's perfectly normal. Everyone experiences déjà vu every once in a while," Regina said, still grinning. _She must be remembering when I gave her her first set of riding clothes!_

"Yeah, yeah, you're right," Rowan said, shaking her head, and trying to snap herself out of this feeling of déjà vu. She opened the first box, and held up the clothes.

"Oh, Regina, these are really nice!"

_ Only the best for you, dear. _"Why don't you try them on?" Regina said, coming up next to her. "Put on a little fashion show," she teased, pinching Rowan's arm.

"Ow! Hey!" Rowan exclaimed, and Regina caught a hint of laughter in her voice. "Okay, okay, don't be so demanding. Jeeze," Rowan joked, as she gathered up some of the boxes, and took them into her room, secretly happy that someone was being nice to her. She went into her room, shutting the door behind her. As she changed, she thought about Regina's playful pinch. _If anyone else had done that, my first reaction would have been to hit them…hard. _Pinching was never something done playfully, at least not to Rowan. She remembered how her mother had sometimes pinched her, hard, to get her attention, or to merely make a point, always succeeding in bringing tears to Rowan's eyes. Rowan paused in the middle of dressing.

Something was odd about that memory. It almost didn't seem like her memory, although that was impossible. _Green skin…_floated through her mind.

_Snap out of it! You can't keep Regina waiting._

Regina sat perched on the arm of the sofa, waiting for Rowan to come out. She was happy that Rowan was having déjà vu moments. _We're getting somewhere! _She thought, her stomach flip-flopping. But, at the same time, she was bothered by how she found Rowan in the hallway, pacing, barefoot, and obviously agitated. She had always felt protective towards the girl, and she wanted to strangle whoever had upset her.

Nox jumped up onto the back of the sofa, and Regina couldn't resist petting him. "It's been far too long, my little feline friend," she whispered to him, as he leaned into her hand, and started to purr. She had missed his warm body, his sleek black fur with the faint spots, and especially the vibrating of his purr, which always managed to bring comfort to both her and Elphaba.

She heard Rowan's door open, and then click shut, and she quickly pulled her hand away from Nox, who ended up looking slightly offended. _If she sees me being so friendly to Nox, and vice versa, it might scare her._

Rowan came out into the living room, and once again, Regina was breathless. _She really is such a beautiful girl. _The outfit that Rowan was wearing was a light tan pants suit with a black silk blouse, and black peep-toe pumps.

"I really like this one," Rowan said, turning around and posing a bit.

"I really like it, too," Regina said, with a smile. She watched Rowan faulter, and stare off into the distance. "What's the matter, dear?"

Rowan looked down at her outfit. "For some reason, I'm having déjà vu again. Like I've modeled clothes for you before, even though that's impossible…"

_She's remembering again! _"Déjà vu is such a funny thing, isn't it? I wouldn't let it trouble you, though," she said with a shrug. "So, how does it fit?" she asked, changing the subject.

"It fits great! You got my measurements right. It's like you're psychic or something," Rowan said jokingly, looking slyly at Regina.

Regina simply smiled, not saying anything. "Why don't you try on another outfit?" she suggested, changing the subject once again.

"Ok! I'll be back," Rowan told her, and as she left, Regina noticed a slight spring in her step.

_She's so happy having someone pay attention to her, and treat her like she's someone special, _Regina thought. _She doesn't understand how much I love her, how much I've missed her. _Regina felt herself starting to get emotional, and had to stuff those emotions down into the depths of her soul again. She wasn't used to feeling such strong emotions, and for the past ten years, had only felt such a strong amount of love for her son, Henry. Now, though, she had two people that she loved deeply, and she wasn't sure how to navigate that.

Just as Regina got her emotions under control, and had her stoic mask back on, Rowan came out. She was wearing a black blazer, a black pencil skirt with a small slit in the back, and an emerald green silk blouse, with pointed toe high heels.

"Oh, Rowan, that looks lovely on you. The emerald green is definitely your color," she said, hiding the fact that she had picked that particular shade of green in hopes of triggering some memory in Rowan. _Emerald green like the Emerald City of Oz. And maybe wearing a green blouse will help her remember the color her skin used to be. _Regina could tell that the color of the blouse was indeed triggering something for Rowan, as Rowan played with the fabric of the blouse, staring down at it. _Yes, that's it, remember! _Regina willed her. She could see Rowan struggling and decided to prompt her.

"Do you not like the outfit, dear? You seem conflicted about something."

"No, actually, I love this outfit, and I love the color of the blouse, it's just…"

"Just what?"

"I don't know," Rowan said, her brow furrowed. "Something about the color is…bothering me. I mean, I really do love this shade of green, and it looks gorgeous with the black, it's just…I don't know. Maybe I'm just not used to wearing such a bright color. That sounds silly, doesn't it?"

"No, of course not. It's a change for you, as are the suits. You'll get used to them, though." _The color IS triggering something, that's why she's so bothered by it!_

"You're probably right," Rowan said.

"Well, let's see another outfit," Regina said.

"I'm not a doll!" Rowan burst out with, scowling. Her fists were clenched at her sides, and in that moment, she was very much Elphaba. Regina had to keep herself from smiling. "I'm not a doll" is the exact same thing that Elphaba had burst out with, when Regina had given her a new, much more elaborate wardrobe, and had her model the dresses. By the third or fourth dress, Elphaba had grown tired of modeling, and had scowled at the queen, with her fists clenched, the same way Rowan was looking at her now. And, of course, Regina was just as amused by it now as she was back then.

"I-I'm sorry," Rowan said, hanging her head in shame, her fists unclenching. "That was out of line. I'm really sorry."

Regina could tell that Rowan genuinely was sorry. _Oh, Rowan, I wasn't offended by your outburst then, and I'm not offended by it now. _Regina stood up, and walked over to Rowan, placing her hand under Rowan's chin, and lifting her chin up, so that Rowan was looking at her. "I'm not mad, dear," she told her, almost tenderly. _I just want you to remember._

"You should be, though. That was really rude of me," Rowan told her.

"No, dear, you are anything but rude. You've had quite a long day, and I can tell you're tired," she told her, as she ran her fingers through Rowan's hair, smoothing it back from her face. She saw a mixture of love and confusion flash across Rowan's eyes, and Regina smiled warmly at her. _It's a shame how you've been starved for love and attention for so many years. _"How about I help you put your new clothes away?" she proposed, and watched Rowan nod, a rare grin breaking across her face.

Regina stood in front of Rowan's open closet door, and cocked an eyebrow, amused. "You certainly do like black, don't you?" she teased, as she looked from Rowan's dark clothes, to her dark shoes, which consisted of mostly boots—all of them high heeled—a pair of black Converse, a pair of black lace-up Vans, and two pairs of moccasins—one black and one gray.

"Yeah, although I do wear various shades of gray," she told her with a laugh. Rowan had changed back into the white shorts and charcoal gray top she was wearing earlier, and was now sitting Indian style on her bed, with Nox in her lap. "Arabella always nags me about the lack of color in my wardrobe."

"Well, she would know about color," Regina said, sarcastically, as she started hanging up Rowan's new business clothes. _If Arabella keeps teasing and nagging Rowan, I'm going to have to do something about it. She was annoying as Glinda, and she's annoying now. _"But, black is considered a power color, both in business and in politics. It's also a very chic and sophisticated color. So, just think of yourself as being far more sophisticated than your twin," Regina said, shooting Rowan a very mischievous grin, as she bent over to pick up the next outfit out of the box. She watched Rowan grin, and she felt her heart fill with warmth. "So, if I may ask, why were you pacing barefoot in the hallway, earlier?" Regina asked.

"Oh. Well, Arabella sort of roped me into having dinner with her and Mary Margaret and Emma. And, well, they got onto the subject of Henry, and Emma said something about Henry thinking she's some kind of savior, and how she's his mother. And, that's when I started to get pissed, because you're his mother, not her. I mean, she gave birth to him, but she didn't even want him, and she hasn't been in his life until now. And, then she tried to convince me that you were using me, and I just snapped, and threw a glass of water in her face and left."

Regina stopped hanging the clothes up, and turned to look at Rowan. "You threw a glass of water in Sheriff Swan's face?"

"Well, she deserved it!" Rowan said defensively. She watched the corners of Regina's mouth twitch, and saw amusement in her eyes. "You know you think that's funny. Don't deny it!"

Regina turned back to the closet, and continued hanging the clothes up. She didn't let Rowan see the grin spread across her face. "I don't condone throwing things at the sheriff, liquid or solid," she said, trying to keep her voice neutral.

"Well, someone has to," she heard Rowan mumble, and felt herself grinning again. She finished putting Rowan's new clothes away, and walked over to Rowan's bed.

"That doesn't explain why you were barefoot. Did you throw your shoes at her, too?" she teased.

"Oh, no. I just didn't feel like wearing any shoes," Rowan told her sheepishly.

"My, you really are an artist," she teased again. She watched Rowan blush, a grin spreading across the girl's face. "You know, this mattress on the floor just won't do. You need a bedframe. I'll look into getting you one." She felt something like maternal instinct bubbling up inside her. _Where is that coming from? Did that happen when I was with Elphaba? She's not a child, she's 25. Why am I have that feeling? _Regina pondered this. _Maybe it's just because I've always been so protective towards her._

"No! You've done enough for me already," Rowan said, staring up at Regina.

"I insist. You need a proper bed, dear," Regina said. She watched Rowan look confused.

"Why are you doing this?" Rowan asked her. _Because I love you! _Regina wanted to tell her, but she couldn't. Rowan watched Regina open her mouth, wanting to say something, when they both heard the apartment door slam.

"Rowan!" they heard Arabella shout.

"Fuck," Rowan said, and set Nox down, getting up and going into the living room. She saw her twin glaring at her, livid.

"What is wrong with you?!" Arabella shouted when Rowan was standing in front of her. "You can't act civilized for two seconds?!"

Rowan didn't respond, and instead just scowled at Arabella.

"Answer me!" Arabella shouted at her. "Or, are you just too stupid and inconsiderate to—" she was cut off when the mayor appeared in front of her, standing protectively in front of Rowan as she glared down at Arabella, staring daggers at the blonde.

"M-Mayor Mills, I-I…"

"You shouldn't stutter, Miss Jones. It makes you sound stupid." She said this with venom in her voice. Arabella was, for once, speechless. She opened and closed her mouth, and finally attempted to respond, but the mayor cut her off again.

"Don't speak," Regina snapped. "I would appreciate it if you didn't speak to my assistant in that way. Rowan is far from stupid, and she has been nothing but civilized all day. As for being inconsiderate, well, according to my own observations, you, my dear, are the one who is inconsiderate." She watched Arabella attempt to say something again, but Regina put her finger up. "I'm not finished." She stepped closer to Arabella. "You WILL leave Rowan alone for the rest of the night. If I hear otherwise, I will make the rest of your week a nightmare. Have I made myself clear?"

"Crystal clear," Arabella said, swallowing. Regina smirked at the slight tremble in Arabella's voice.

"Good." She turned to Rowan. "Would you walk with me out to my car, dear?"

"Sure," Rowan said, and they left the apartment, Regina's arm protectively around Rowan's shoulder, with Nox in tow.

Regina, Rowan, and Nox stood outside of Rowan's apartment complex.

"I'm sorry that happened, dear," Regina told her.

Rowan shrugged. "I'm used to it."

"That doesn't mean you deserve to be spoken to that way," Regina told her, and watched Rowan look at the ground. _Oh Rowan…please don't believe that you deserve to be spoken to that way. _In fairytale land, Regina had made a habit of trying to make Elphaba feel like she wasn't worthless, that she didn't deserve to be treated badly. Of course, as Rowan, she wouldn't remember that, but Regina would make sure that she gained her confidence back. _You're the Wicked Witch of the West, or, at least you were, once upon a time. You don't remember how powerful and magnificent you were. _She wanted to step forward, and wrap her arms around Rowan, but her feet remained rooted to the spot.

"How about I teach you how to bake tomorrow?" Regina proposed. "I'll make dinner, and then we can bake something. Nox is more than welcome to join us," she said, with a warm smile at Nox, who slowly closed and then opened his eyes, and made a happy sound, somewhere in between a purr and a meow.

"Ok! That sounds good!" Rowan said, smiling, genuinely happy. Regina smiled back at her.

"Good. We'll start with something simple, maybe baking cookies."

"No!" Rowan exclaimed, and Regina was taken aback for a second. "I'm not five! Give me a challenge, like, like, a cake or something."

Regina couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, Rowan, you're so ambitious. A cake might be a bit too much too soon." Regina thought about it. "How about an apple turnover?"

Rowan considered this. "What about an apple pie? Arabella baked one today, and I want to show her that I can do what she can do," Rowan said stubbornly.

"We'll see," Regina said, highly amused by how ambitious and determined Rowan was.

"Or both! How about both?" Rowan asked, her eyes sparkling with ambition.

Regina laughed again. "I don't think we can bake both in one night. But, I will show you how to bake one of them. Maybe the apple pie if you are that insistent."

"Ok, cool!" Rowan said, a genuine grin spreading across her face. _Wow, am I really this happy? Is there something wrong with me?_

Regina chuckled a bit. "Well, I really should be going. I'll see you tomorrow. Take care. And, remember, if Arabella upsets you, don't hesitate to call me," she told her. "I'll get in my car, and come and get you, if I have to. I promise."

"You don't have to," Rowan said with a shrug.

"I know. But, I will," Regina said. They stood there staring at each other. Regina wanted to step forward, take her in her arms, and hug her. But, she knew that doing so, this soon, would scare Rowan, and she might want nothing more to do with her. All Regina wanted to do was hug her, and maybe give her a kiss, either on her forehead or cheek, just a kiss goodnight, and it was killing her not to be able to do that yet. She could see Rowan was struggling with something, and wondered if perhaps Rowan was struggling with the same thing she was. Perhaps Rowan wanted to give her a hug, too.

"Well, good night, Regina," Rowan finally said.

"Good night, Rowan," Regina said, and her heart broke a little bit, even though she knew she would see her tomorrow. She felt Nox brush against her legs, and watched Rowan turn and leave, Nox padding after her. She felt tears begin to sting her eyes, and felt her throat tighten. She swallowed back her emotions, and was thankful that it was dark out.

"Rowan," she called out. She watched Rowan turn and look at her, her long dark hair swinging around.

"Do try to wear shoes more often, dear," she said, with a small teasing smile on her lips. She watched Rowan grin and nod, her eyes showing laughter. Then, she watched as both Rowan and Nox walked into the apartment building.

Regina stood there for a moment longer, closing her eyes, and breathed deeply, trying to get her turbulent emotions under control, before turning, and getting into her car.

(Author's Note: So, this chapter took me a while to post because I've been busy, and sick. And, it was REALLY long. But, here it is. I LOVED writing this chapter, and I hope you enjoyed reading it. And, after watching the season premiere, I think this story will be so much more significant, especially with the direction I'm going to go in with it. Anyway, review, review, and happy reading. P.S. I listened to "Almost Lover" by A Fine Frenzy when writing the last portion of this chapter. And, while they're not lovers, I thought the lyrics described Regina's feelings towards Rowan really well. Not really in the lover aspect, but just love. And, "Gravity" by Sara Bareilles really felt like how Rowan was feeling.)


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: My Little Spirit, See**

Regina tossed and turned in her bed, her eyes closed and her brows furrowed, having a nightmare, or really, a horrible, horrible memory that she thought she had long ago locked away, blocked it out. It was one so painful at the time that she hadn't been able to handle it. Losing Daniel had was bad enough, but this, THIS, was worse. It was a double whammy, a slap in the face. Regina thought she didn't have to deal with this memory anymore, but her subconscious thought otherwise. The nightmare came in flashes, Regina on a bed in the king's palace, surrounded by nursemaids, servants, and…her mother. Nine months. She had carried this baby around for nine months, with a mixture of excitement and fear. And now, it was time. The labor pains were excruciating, but Regina was determined. She wanted more than anything to see this baby's face. And, as quickly as the labor pains had started, they finally ended. And there was her baby, placed briefly in her arms. Daniel's baby, her baby, THEIR baby. But, before Regina could even plant a kiss on her baby's forehead, her baby GIRL, before she could even give her a proper name, she was taken away. Regina reached for her.

Another flash, and there was her mother's face. "The baby is dead. There were complications. She wasn't healthy." A scream of anguish was ripped out of her, and she curled onto her side, the sobs choking her, as her heart broke once again.

Regina awoke, breathing heavily, a sheen of sweat on her skin. Her throat felt tight, but she refused to cry. That dream, that memory, was still fresh in her mind, and she had to fight to lock it away. When her mind was perfectly blank, and her emotions perfectly under control, Regina got out of bed. She went to Henry's room to check on him, and was comforted by him asleep, and in dreamland.

She smiled, and made her way back to her bedroom. When she was in her bedroom she walked over to her full length mirror. She ran her fingers down the smooth surface, and then, gripping the sides of the mirror, rested her forehead on the cold surface. She wanted nothing more than to have her Elphaba there with her, or even this Rowan, who had inevitably become her Rowan. They were one in the same, after all. And, she wanted Nox there, too, snuggled next to her in her bed, along with Rowan, her two safety blankets. Elphaba who was now Rowan, Nox, and Henry, her own little family. _Oh Rowan, please remember soon!_

She lifted her forehead from the cold surface, and like always, stuffed her emotions down into the depths of her soul. _You'll see her at work. And then, you'll get to spend quality time with her in the evening. _Regina almost hated how she seemed to have become almost addicted to this girl, craving the next time she would see her face. Of course, it didn't surprise her. She was almost overly attached to Elphaba in Fairytale Land, and she was now almost overly attached to Rowan in Storybrooke. _Love really is a weakness_, Regina thought.

Rowan came out of whatever dream she had had—she couldn't remember, for the life of her, what the dream was about—uttering a sound that was somewhere between a whimper and a scream. Her vision blurred, and she realized she was crying, although she didn't know why. And she couldn't seem to stop crying. She was overcome with so much grief, sorrow, and loneliness, though she didn't quite know why. She attributed it to still missing Tessa, though her mind screamed Regina. _But, I just saw her not that long ago! And, I'll see her in the morning. _

She rolled over onto her stomach, and buried her face in her pillow. Her shoulders shook. She cried, and she cried hard. _What the hell is wrong with me? _she thought, while something in the back of her mind screamed Regina over and over. Rowan punched her pillow in frustration. She felt Nox kneeding her back, and then rubbing his face on the back of her head. She turned her face to the side, and he rubbed his face against hers, wiping the tears away at the same time. _I'm okay, I'm okay, _she silently told him, as she reached up and scratched his head. Her tears finally stopped, and both her breathing and her heart rate slowed. She felt Nox kneed the spot between her shoulder blades, and then laid down in that exact spot, his head resting against the back of her head, and the curve of her neck. Rowan felt him purring, and the warmth of his body was comforting. She felt her eyelids growing heavy, and soon found herself starting to drift off to sleep. A dream—_a memory?_ thought Rowan—started to creep into her consciousness. The feeling of fingers touching her hair, a light kiss on her temple, and the whispered words, "Sleep peacefully, little witch."

Rowan walked down the sidewalk, Nox padding next to her. She was on her way to Regina's house for dinner and their baking session. Rowan couldn't walk fast enough, and, in fact, she wanted to run, although her self-control, and her knee high wedge boots kept her from sprinting to Regina's house. She had never been more excited for anything in her life, not even the art shows and the crafts fairs she went to. She was happy to see Regina again—although they had just seen each other at work a few hours ago—and she was happy to have Nox with her.

She was finally coming up on Regina's house, her heart racing. _It's almost like I'm addicted to her, _she thought, as she made her way through the gate, and up Regina's front doorsteps. And there she stopped, only a few feet from her front door. That last thought frightened her. She had never felt addicted to someone before—except for Tessa, but that was her own sister—and the feeling made her want to turn and run. _What is wrong with me? _Rowan thought, and although her mind told her she shouldn't panic, she started to anyway. _This is a mistake. It's unprofessional and a mistake. _She considered turning and leaving, but her feet remained rooted to the spot. And, her mind screamed _No! Don't leave! You'll regret it later if you do! _

She looked down at Nox, who looked calmly up at her, and at the same time, giving her a look as if to say, "Well? What are you waiting for?" _Nox is calm, he's fine with this. I should be, too. Regina is my…friend._ And with that thought, Rowan went up to the door, and rang the doorbell.

Regina had just finished setting the table when the doorbell rang. Her heart leapt. _She's here! _Regina couldn't help it when a grin broke out across her face. Although they had just spent the day together at work, Regina was excited to finally be able to spend some quality time with Rowan outside of work. _It'll be almost like old times, _Regina thought. She went over to the elaborate mirror that was hanging up in her entryway and took a moment to fix her hair. Then, she turned and walked quickly to the door. She made sure to keep her emotions in check once again. _I have to remember that I can't scoop her up into a hug every time I see her. _Regina rubbed her palms on her black slacks before opening the door.

There stood Rowan, dressed in a long sleeve cowl-neck tunic top, black leggings, and knee high suede wedge boots. She wore a deep green shimmery eyes shadow, her eyes lined in heavy black eyeliner, and her long black hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Regina saw Rowan smile nervously at her, and Regina smiled warmly back.

"Hello, Rowan. Please, come in. I just finished setting the table," Regina said, stepping aside to let the girl and her cat in. Nox brushed against Regina's legs, and as Rowan stepped over the threshold, Regina caught the scent of green apples and smiled. _Of course you would smell like green apples, _Regina silently told her, as she shut the door.

"Wow, your house is beautiful. And, big," Rowan said, gazing around, her mouth slightly open.

"Thank you. I worked hard for it," she said, walking over to Rowan. Regina watched her, and noticed that Rowan had the same look on her face that she did when she saw the inside of the castle for the first time. She continued watching Rowan, and took the time to take in her features again. The slope of her nose, the shape of her lips. Regina tilted her head to the side, as she stared harder at Rowan. She felt her stomach clench, the small stab of pain bringing her out of her trance.

"Are you okay?" Rowan asked suddenly, and Regina saw a hint of a reassuring smile, and concern in Rowan's eyes. _No, Rowan, I'm not okay. I haven't been okay for a very long time. _She wanted to grab her and tell her everything, about their past, about the curse, about their home, about their friendship and their love. About how Nox still remembers her, and probably still remembers their home, their realm. About who Arabella was, and what she has done. And, most of all, Regina wanted to confess to Rowan the horrible dream she had last night. She didn't know why, but she felt like Rowan should know. But, Regina did none of that. Instead, she stuffed her emotions down into the depths of her soul, locked them away. She hated the idea of her emotions getting out of control.

"I'm fine," Regina told her, her mask of stoicism perfectly back in place.

"Okay," Rowan said, a little reassuring smile on her lips, but Regina could see in her eyes that she didn't buy it. She also saw something else, a small glimpse of Elphaba in her eyes.

"Well, why don't we eat, before the food gets cold," Regina said, starting to guide Rowan in the direction of the dining room.

"Wait! Where's Nox?" Rowan asked, and Regina saw panic in her eyes for a brief moment. "Nox!?" Nox dashed down the stairs, and Regina heard Rowan heave a sigh of relief.

"Were you exploring Regina's house, you silly boy?" Rowan asked him, warmth in her eyes. Nox trotted past her into the dining room, as if her were on a mission. They both watched as he jumped up onto the chair that Rowan was supposed to sit in, and watched his head peek up over the table, expectantly. Regina heard Rowan let out a loud laugh as they walked into the dining room. Regina's stomach flip-flopped, and she felt herself smiling. Nox was always one of the few things in the world that made Rowan happy.

They made their way over to the table, and Rowan scooped up Nox before sitting down. Regina saw Nox looked mildly offended when Rowan set him on the ground, despite the fact that she stroked him, and tickled one of his ears.

"Nox, I have something for you," Regina said affectionately to him, as she walked into the kitchen. She came back out with a small bowl of tuna and a saucer of mil, setting both of them down in front of Nox, who gave a happy purr. Regina stared warmly down at him. She watched as he happily started to eat the tuna.

"Wow, that was really kind of you," Rowan said, and Regina saw the girl beaming at her, a genuine smile blooming across her face. Regina smiled back at her.

"Well, I couldn't feed the both of us, and not feed Nox."

"You must like cats. Even Arabella isn't that nice to Nox."

"Why does that not surprise me," Regina mumbled, as she sat down at the table. "To answer your question, though, I am quite…fond of cats." She noticed Nox pause in eating, and look at her as if to say, "You're quite fond of ME!"

Rowan smiled warmly at her. "Well, he seems very fond of you. Which is a little strange, actually…"

_It's because he remembers me_, Regina thought. She wanted more than anything to tell Rowan this, but she knew she had to be patient, and wait for the girl to remember on her own, however painful that was for Regina.

"Well, enough about cats. Eat, please," Regina said, changing the subject. "I do hope you like angel hair pasta." She hoped that pasta was one of the few foods that Rowan WASN'T allergic to.

"I actually love angel hair pasta," Rowan said, picking up her fork. "Pasta is actually one of the few foods I can eat, that I won't have an allergic reaction to."

"Oh, so you have food allergies?" Regina asked, as if she didn't already know. She twined the pasta around her fork, and noticed Rowan nonchalantly do the exact same thing, at the exact same time.

"Yeah, but usually my stomach just hurts really badly. I haven't had any severe reactions yet," Rowan said, lifting the fork to her mouth.

"It would have been nice if you had told me, dear," Regina said, though it was in a slightly teasing tone.

"I thought you already knew," Rowan said, and Regina watched a moment of confusion pass across Rowan's eyes. _She's remembering again! _"Y-you know…the background check. I figured it would have my medical information or something…"

_Not for someone who didn't exist in this realm until three years ago. _"Background checks don't go that deep."

"Oh…" Rowan said, and Regina could tell that she was embarrassed. _Dammit! I didn't mean to embarrass her._

"It's alright, though. Now, I know," Regina said, smiling warmly, and patting Rowan's hand. Rowan didn't jump or pull away when there was that little, small zap again. Regina pulled her hand away instead, and when she chanced a look at Rowan, she saw Elphaba staring back at her through Rowan's eyes. With just a blink, though, Elphaba was gone, and Regina was back to seeing Rowan.

"So, um," Rowan began, removing her hand from the table. "Where's Henry tonight?"

"He's at a friend's house," Regina told her.

"Oh…It must get lonely around here, when Henry's not home."

"To be quite honest, I'm used to it," Regina said with a small shrug. _I was never alone when we lived together in my castle. Just that once, when you left to visit your sister in Oz. _There was a moment of awkward silence between them, as Rowan picked at her past.

"You know," Rowan finally said, lifting her eyes to Regina, and Regina paused in eating. "Maybe, on those days and evenings when Henry isn't home, Nox and I can come over and keep you company."

Regina felt a smile bloom across her face. "I'd like that."

They both smiled warmly at each other, and went back to eating. Nothing was said between them, because nothing more needed to be said. Regina sipped her glass of wine, and watched Rowan do the same. To her, I felt as though they were back in her castle, eating a meal, neither of them saying anything because they both knew nothing needed to be said.

They both finished their meals, and Regina sat back, relaxed for once in her life. Although Rowan didn't remember that she was actually Elphaba, and didn't remember who Regina was, Regina was still happy to have her back in her life.

"So, Rowan," Regina said, as she watched Rowan dab the corners of her mouth with her napkin. "Are you ready to start baking?"

"I don't want to do this anymore!" Regina saw that Rowan looked like she wanted to throw the bowl of ingredients across the room. Regina squeezed Rowan's shoulder.

"Relax, you're doing great. Don't let this intimidate you." Part of Regina worried that maybe teaching Rowan how to bake an apple pie was a little too advanced for someone who had never baked before, but another part of Regina knew that Rowan would be able to do this once she had gotten over her initial frustration.

Rowan heaved a frustrated sigh, and Regina caressed her arm. "Maybe if you would stop being so stubborn, and let me help you, we could get through this small problem." Regina felt her heart speed up. She remembered saying the same thing to Elphaba, when she was being her usual stubborn self, and not allowing the queen to help her with ways of getting rid of Dorothy.

Rowan whipped her head around, and looked at Regina, recognition flashing across her eyes. She saw Elphaba there, just under the surface, and Regina had the urge to reach up and caress her face, but chose not to. She watched Rowan blink slowly, and Elphaba disappeared once again.

"Okay," Rowan said with a sigh. "Help me."

They worked on the apple pie together. Regina let Rowan make the pie crust, and she was amused by how much Rowan seemed to enjoy pounding and kneeding the dough, eventually rolling it out so that the currently flat dough could fit into the pie pan. And Rowan watched carefully, as Regina made the apple filling for the pie, the ever eager student. Regina saw her eyes sparkling with interest, and Regina could tell that her mind absorbed every detail. She let Rowan finish the rest of the pie—putting the apple filling in, and adding a layer of dough for the top of the pie. She also let Rowan put the pie into the oven, her eyes still sparkling.

Once the pie was in the oven, and set to the right temperature, they started to clean up.

"Thanks for teaching me how to make an apple pie," Rowan said, as she washed and dried a bowl.

"No need to thank me, dear," Regina said, as she cleaned off the kitchen counter top. She walked towards Rowan. "And, wasn't it much easier when you stopped being so stubborn, and finally let me help you?" she teased, as she ran her fingers through Rowan's ponytail. Rowan turned and looked at Regina, and Regina saw tears in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" she asked, concerned, touching Rowan lightly on the arm.

"Nothing," Rowan told her, shaking her head. "It's not important."

"Tell me," Regina said, and stroked Rowan's arm with her thumb.

Rowan let out a sigh. "It's just…I mean…my own mother never even took the time to teach me how to bake."

Regina tried to smile reassuringly, and watched Rowan struggle to keep her emotions in check. "And, now, here you are, someone I didn't even know before I came here, and you're taking the time to teach me how to do something that my mother never even wanted to teach me. On top of that, you've given me a job, a wardrobe, and you've stood up for me, numerous times, against Arabella, which no one has EVER done. And, you're nice to Nox. And, you're treating me the way that no one has ever treated me, except for my little sister." Regina saw the emotion clear on her face—the years of sadness, loneliness, anger, and frustration—and saw the tears ready to spill over. "And…and…" Rowan choked out. "I don't understand any of this…at all. It's like…"

"What?" Regina asked, her heart racing.

"It's like we have some kind of connection, and I just don't understand it." Rowan stared into Regina's eyes. "Does that sound crazy? The whole connection thing?"

Regina had to consider her words carefully. She didn't want to tell Rowan too much too soon and lose her forever. At the same time, she didn't want to outright lie to her.

"Not at all. I've felt the connection, too. I guess we're just…kindred spirits," Regina said, tentatively. "And, in all honesty, I'm not used to having a connection with someone. I've never really had a friend." _Except for you. You were only ever my one true friend._

"Yeah, I've never really had a friend either, except for Nox," Rowan said. "You know, this is going to sound weird, but the first day I arrived in town, I had this weird feeling that I was going to see a long lost friend, even though I didn't have any." Rowan shrugged. "Maybe we knew each other in a past life or something," she added with a laugh.

The timer on the oven went off. "Pie time," Rowan said, and brushed past Regina, their shoulders grazing, another spark of what felt like magic jumping between them. Regina had stopped breathing for a moment when Rowan told her about the feeling of seeing a long lost friend, and then the comment she made about knowing each other in a past life. She wanted to grab Rowan and pull her into a tight hug, and twirl her around, and tell her that they really were long lost friends, that they really did know each other in a past life of sorts. She wanted to hug her, squeeze her, plant a kiss on her forehead or cheek, and hope that that caused Elphaba to remember, however delusional that particular idea was. Getting her to remember wouldn't be that simple. Regina felt her stomach start to hurt, and she placed her hand on it.

"Wow, this smells so good," she heard Rowan say. Regina pushed her thoughts and feelings away, and walked over to Rowan.

"Oh Rowan, it looks perfect. See? You really can bake. You're a natural," Regina said affectionately, and gave Rowan a playful little jab in the side.

"Yeah, with your help," Rowan said.

"And, eventually, you won't need my help. You'll be able to bake anything."

"And give YOU a run for your money," Rowan said, also giving Regina a playful poke in the side. They both smiled at each other, and then stared down at the pie. Although Regina was happy just mere seconds ago, she was starting to grow sad again. They had finished baking, the pie was done, and now Rowan had no reason to stay longer. Now the pie was done, and Rowan would have to go home again, and Regina would be alone.

She looked at Rowan out of the corner of her eye, and saw sadness on her face, too. _She doesn't want to leave…_

"Well, not that the pie is done, I guess I should be going," Rowan said, even though Regina could tell that Rowan really didn't want to leave. _I don't want you to leave either! I don't want to be alone. _Regina wanted to say something, to keep Rowan here, but nothing would come out. _It wouldn't be logical, anyway. For all I know, it could cause her to panic and leave, or even start avoiding me. I know she probably wants to stay, but this really would be too much too soon. Oh Rowan, I want you to stay, but I don't know what to tell you._

Regina swallowed her emotions. "I'll get you a basket to carry the pie in," Regina said. She grabbed a basket, and a towel, placing the pie in the basket and tucking the towel over it to keep it warm. She handed the basket to Rowan. "Let me walk you out."

They walked through the dining room, and past Regina's living room. Nox was asleep on her sofa. "Nox, come on. Time to go," Rowan said. Nox lifted his head, and gave her a sleepy and half annoyed look. He appeared to heave a sigh, and stretched before hopping down off of the sofa. He brushed against Regina's legs, and stood next to Rowan.

"Thanks for inviting me over. It was…fun," Rowan said, smiling.

"I had fun, too. We should do it again, soon," Regina said.

"I agree," Rowan said. "Well, I'll see you at work tomorrow."

For a moment, Regina thought that Rowan was going to hug her, but she didn't. Regina reluctantly opened the door for Rowan.

"Good night, Regina," Rowan said, stepping over the threshold, and outside.

"Good night, Rowan," Regina said. She watched Rowan walk down her walkway, and towards the gate. She watched Rowan leave, again, and Regina stood in the doorway, hugging herself, before stepping back inside and shutting the door, Rowan out of sight and Regina alone, once again.

(Author's Note: I'm REALLY sorry this took me so long to post. But, while I was in the middle of working on this chapter, I had midterms to deal with, papers to write, and birthday related stuff to deal with. In addition to that, I had to register for classes for the Spring semester. So, again, I apologize for taking so long. But, here it is, and I hoped you enjoy it. The new season is giving me all sorts of ideas and inspiration, and before you ask/wonder, there will be a sequel to this, obviously, and it WILL continue in season 2. But, it'll be a while before this particular story "ends" since I have a lot more plotline to write out. I think "Something Wicked this Way Comes" will ultimately be around 20 something chapters. Anyway, again, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and as always, review, review, review. Happy reading!)


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: Like a Hell-Broth Boil and Bubble**

Elphaba walked down the large halls in the castle, the train on her elaborate black dress trailing behind her. She was mad, and that anger was starting to manifest itself in her hair, which was longer and more wild than it had been earlier in the week. She walked down the hallway, towards the library, her hands clenching and unclenching at her sides. Yesterday, the worst thing imaginable happened to her: she lost her little Nessa Rose, and she lost the ruby red shoes that were rightfully hers. She hoped that the spellbooks in the queen's library would help her destroy Dorothy, or at least give her some ideas. Nox trotted along next to her, and she found a small amount of comfort in his presence.

She reached the library, and the doors swung open by magic. Elphaba entered, Nox close behind, and the doors swung shut. She stared around the room at the massive shelves of spellbooks, and doubt crept into her mind. _I don't even know where to begin. And, am I going to be able to find something that will help me?_ She felt Nox paw at her leg, and she stared down at him. _The queen! The queen said she would help you!_ he silently told her. Elphaba knew he was right, but her stubbornness wouldn't allow her to ask for help. _I'm the Wicked Witch of the West. I've never needed help._

She waved her hand, and several spellbooks floated down, and settled themselves on the table in the middle of the room. Elphaba walked over to the table, and Nox jumped up onto the table, sniffing at the spellbooks. Elphaba opened the first book—_Magical Creatures_—and skimmed through the pages. _Manticore? Hmmm, that would be a little too much. Plus, they're hard to control. Pixies? No. They can be useless creatures. _She kept flipping through the pages, growing more and more frustrated. Finally, Elphaba stopped at a particular chapter that caught her attention. _Flying Monkeys…._She read the pages, and the wheels in her head started to turn. _Flying monkeys could work. It would be easy to make them do my bidding. _Where she would find flying monkeys she had no idea. Elphaba bit her lip, and heard Nox meow. She looked up at him, and he stared intently back at her. Elphaba let out a defeated sigh. _Okay. Fine. I need her help._

Nox looked pleased, and with a swish of his tail, jumped off the table, and sauntered out of the library. Elphaba set the open book aside, and started to look through the next one, which was a book of curses and hexes. And, although the book was helpful, Elphaba was having trouble concentrating on the content. Or even caring. It was strange to her. She had felt fine just moments ago, though she had felt angry and frustrated, but now…she seemed to feel almost numb on the inside. Part of her wanted to curl up into a ball and sleep her life away, for life wouldn't be worth living without her little Nessa Rose, but a more logical part of her told her that that wouldn't be feasible. She had to get those ruby red shoes back. _And besides, _her mind whispered, _the queen would be lonely if you just curled into a ball, and slept for the rest of your life. _Elphaba smirked and thought, _Not that the queen would actually let me curl up into a ball and sleep my life away. _She imagined the queen constantly jabbing her, shaking her, and occasionally lifting her eyelids up.

Elphaba felt laughter, hysterical laughter, bubbling up inside of her, but staunched it. She felt her emotions bounce frantically back and forth between sadness, numbness, and near hysteria. _I must compose myself_. Pausing in scanning the pages of the curses and hexes book, Elphaba closed her eyes, and inhaled deeply, exhaled, and when she inhaled again, the slight scent of apples filled her nostrils. Elphaba's eyes popped open.

The queen smiled at her. "Hello, dear. Did you sleep well last night?" What the queen didn't tell Elphaba was that she had kept an eye on her, via her mirror, throughout the night.

"Surprisingly, yes," Elphaba said with a sigh. Nox jumped up onto the table, and sniffed the curses and hexes book that Elphaba had open.

"Good. Nox came to find me, and I assumed you needed me," the queen said.

"I…I do. I need your help," Elphaba sighed, defeated. Asking for help would never be easy for her.

"Well, you're actually asking for my help. How astounding," the queen said with a teasing smile. Leaning forward, she asked, "What do you need?"

Elphaba pointed to the open book, the book open to the chapter on flying monkeys. The queen looked at where Elphaba was pointing and cocked an eyebrow.

"I need flying monkeys. It'll be easy to make them do my bidding. They can help me stop Dorothy. I just don't know where to obtain flying monkeys from. I thought you could help me with that," Elphaba told her.

She watched a grin spread across the queen's face. "And I can. Come with me, dear."

Elphaba followed the queen out of the library and up the long winding hallway to the queen's chambers. They stood in front of the elaborate mirror that was in the queen's chambers, a face appearing in the mirror.

"Yes, your majesty?" the face asked.

"Show me where I can find flying monkeys," the queen said.

"As you wish." The mirror swirled, and Elphaba and the queen saw a flock of flying monkeys soaring through the sky, and then landing in a dark part of the Enchanted Forest, that was on the very border of Oz.

"That's where they are?" Elphaba asked the mirror.

"Indeed," the mirror told her. Elphaba stepped around the queen, and stared harder at the mirror. "That is a relatively small flock. The chapter I read said that the flocks are quite large. Is that all of them?"

"It is. This flock is the last of their kind," the mirror said. Elphaba felt a small twinge of remorse, but pushed it away. She had a task she needed to focus on, and couldn't afford to feel remorse. Still, a part of Elphaba hesitated.

"Do you want them?" she heard the queen ask, behind her, and Elphaba detected a hint of concern and a small hint of remorse, as though the queen had picked up on Elphaba's feelings.

Elphaba hesitated briefly before answering. "Yes."

The queen nodded. "I'll have the guards prepare the carriage."

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Elphaba watched as the magical net closed over the small flock of flying monkeys. The fearful faces stared back at her. _I'm sorry, _she told them. _But, this has to be done. I promise you'll be well taken care of. _Elphaba felt guilt welling up inside of her. She loved creatures of all sorts, magical and non-magical. They had often been her only friends in this world, the only things that had never judged her. Still, she pushed her guilt away. If she grew soft, if she began to doubt herself, she would never get Nessa's ruby shoes back.

She felt the queen move up next to her. "I'm sensing some doubt in you, little witch," the queen said, her hand moving up to lightly caress Elphaba's arm. "Are you sure you want to do this? They're the last of their kind." The queen could see that Elphaba was struggling with her emotions, and she wanted to wrap her arms around her in a warm embrace to make her feel better. She knew, more than anyone, what it was like to struggle with your own emotions.

"Yes. This has to be done," Elphaba said, tentatively. The queen noticed tears in the young witch's eyes, but she didn't say anything. _Oh Elphaba…I understand, I really do._

The queen placed her hand lightly on Elphaba's back. "Come. Let's go back to the carriage. The guards will retrieve them." She placed an arm around Elphaba's shoulders, and led the silent young witch back to the carriage.

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Elphaba stood in front of the queen's mirror, watching the Dorothy girl cavorting with a talking Scarecrow. _Well, now I've seen everything, _Elphaba thought. She sneered at how happy and friendly this Dorothy girl was. _Yes, happy and friendly wearing my little sister's shoes, my dead little sister's shoes. The one you killed. _She could feel herself getting angry, and absentmindedly stroked Nox, who she was holding in her arms. She watched as Dorothy and the Scarecrow met a Tin Man, using a can of oil to unnrust him. _So helpful, _she sneered again. _So damn helpful. _She watched as the Tin Man was added to Dorothy's band of do-gooders. _Nessa's shoes! Would you be so helpful if you knew what Dorothy had done? Would you still want to help her if you knew she was a murderer, a thief, and…and…an idiot?!_

"Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous," Elphaba said, suddenly.

"Is something the matter, dear?" the queen asked from where she was sitting. Instead of responding, Elphaba walked over to the queen, who was sitting at her vanity, and plopped Nox down onto her lap. "I have to go," Elphaba said, moving to the middle of the room. She lifted her hand to snap her fingers to summon a cloud of swirling purple and black smoke, when she saw the queen stand up, clutching Nox.

"Wait! You're leaving?"

"Yes," Elphaba said, cocking an eyebrow at her. She noticed something like loneliness and fear flash across the queen's eyes, and felt a twinge of guilt. "I'll be back, though, I promise," Elphaba told her, attempting a reassuring smile. She saw the fear leave the queen's eyes, though the loneliness remained.

"It's Dorothy, isn't it?" the queen asked.

"Yes. She's just made another friend. A Tin Man. Her party is growing, and I need to deter them from going to the Emerald City."

"I'll go with you," the queen said.

"No! You already helped me with the flying monkeys. Let me do this by myself," Elphaba said. She saw the look in the queen's eyes, and knew she had hurt her feelings. "And…uh, I thank you for that. But, really, this whole Dorothy thing…it's my burden to bear. Not yours. But, um, I appreciate your help," she told her, though she could still see a bit of hurt in the queen's eyes. _Oh hell, _Elphaba thought, as she summoned the smoke that was beginning to swirl around her. "Nox will keep you company!" she said, trying to flash a smile.

The queen let out a sigh, and tried to smile back at her. "As you wish, dear."

Elphaba opened her mouth to say something at the exact same time as the queen.

"I…" Elphaba began. "Oh, um, you go first."

"No, it's okay. What do you want to tell me, dear?"

The smoke had almost completely engulfed Elphaba, and before she vanished, she shouted what was on her mind, a jumble of words.

"ILOVEYOU!"

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Elphaba had watched the talking trees grow angry at the Dorothy girl and her Scarecrow companion, eventually throwing apples at them. _Serves them right, _thought Elphaba. _A blatant disregard for the inhabitants of these woods. Picking the apples from the trees without asking, and then having the nerve to get testy when the trees become angry at them. _Elphaba had sspent enough time in these woods to know that one is supposed to ask for permission before picking the apples off of a tree. Elphaba and the apple trees always had a good rapport, because of this, and they would often allow her to pick as many apples as she had wanted, although Elphaba was never greedy. And, because of this good rapport, Elphaba and Nox had always been safe in the forest, not having to worry about being tormented by the trees.

When she appeared on the yellow brick road, she could instantly tell that the trees were in a foul mood. Not only had Dorothy and her companion snatched apples from the trees, but they had insulted them, too. Elphaba was fuming. She would not stand for the magical beings of the forest being treated disrespectfully. _Idiot girl! Stupid, selfish, idiot girl!_

She summoned her broomstick and hurtled through the woods after them. The Dorothy girl was so caught up in convincing the Tin Man to come with her to the Emerald City, that she didn't see Elphaba land on the roof of the nearby cabin.

"We've come such a long way," Dorothy said, in her sickeningly sweet voice.

Elphaba laughed, startling the trio. "You call that 'long'?" Elphaba mocked. "Why, you've just begun." Her words dripped venom as she stared down at the trio. "So, helping the little lady along, are you, my fine gentlemen?" Elphaba asked, still mocking them. "Well, stay away from her, if you know what's good for you, or I'll stuff a mattress with you, or maybe feed you to my horse, although I don't think he'd find you very appetizing," Elphaba said to the Scarecrow, who was now trembling. _Funny, you weren't trembling earlier when you confronted the apple trees. _She watched as the Tin Man quietly nudged his friend, as if this were a joke, and Elphaba just became more infuriated. "And you!" she growled at the Tin Man, who no longer looked as though this was funny. "I'll take you apart and use you for a beehive!" She laughed wickedly, and knew that she appeared completely insane to the trio.

"Here, Scarecrow, want to play?" Elphaba laughed again, and summoned a ball of fire, hurling it at the trio. She laughed even harder as she watched the Scarecrow leap around, trying to avoid the flames. _And to think, this whole time I thought scarecrows were useless. Who would have thought that they could be so entertaining?_

"That was a warning, my dears," Elphaba told them, surprising herself with how easily she could sound like the queen. "Turn back now, tell Glinda you've given up, or next time, I will be far more lethal." Elphaba laughed again, and vanished in a plume of black and purple smoke.

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Elphaba appeared back in the queen's chambers, and only Nox was there to greet her. _Where is she? _Elphaba thought. She paced back and forth, impatiently waiting for the queen. She scooped Nox up into her arms, and stroked his fur, trying to calm herself. She heard footsteps behind her, and spun around, hoping it was the queen. Instead, it was only the queen's father.

"Back so soon?" the queen's father calmly asked. He had only been at the castle for a short while, and Elphaba was somewhat enjoying his presence.

"Yes," Elphaba snapped. "Where is the queen?"

"She had some business to attend to, concerning Snow White."

"Well, when will she be back?" Elphaba demanded. She felt her heart starting to race, and something like panic started to creep into her body. _Is the queen being gone really affecting me this badly?_

"I'm not sure," the queen's father told her. "But, I'm sure if you're patient, she'll be back soon."

"Patient?" she said, advancing on the queen's father. "I…I…oh hell," Elphaba said, exasperated. She was still fuming, and the longer the queen was gone, the more frustrated, annoyed, and panicked she became. Elphaba paced some more, breathing heavily, despite the fact that it felt like her throat was closing.

"Is there something you would like me to get for you? Perhaps some tea?" the queen's father asked. Elphaba started to respond with something angry and sarcastic, but the words caught in her throat. She felt Nox's purr vibrate against her chest, and she looked down at him.

_He's just trying to be helpful. He's fond of you, too, _Nox blinked up at her.

_You're right, _she silently told Nox.

"No, thank you," Elphaba said with a sigh.

"Then, perhaps you would like to talk about why you're so upset?" the queen's father asked.

"Why does it matter to you why I'm upset?!" Elphaba burst out, even though she didn't mean to. Henry, the queen's father, was always kind to her, and kind to Nox. Elphaba just didn't know how to react to that kindness, usually. _Is this what it feels like to have a father? A father who cares?_

The queen's father didn't seem to be offended by her anger. "Because you remind me of my daughter," he said, kindly. Elphaba was taken aback by this. She felt her tears welling up in her eyes, and the fact that he had made her so emotional angered her.

"Well, I'm not! So, just stay out of it!" Elphaba shouted, even though she felt her stomach clench with remorse.

She heard another pair of footsteps, and glanced up to see the queen enter the room. "What is all of this yelling?" the queen asked, with her hands on her hips.

"Little Elphie is upset, though she won't say why," the queen's father told her.

"'Little Elphie'?! I'm not a child!" Elphaba shouted.

"Leave us, daddy," the queen said. Her father bowed to the both of them, and left the room. The queen looked at Elphaba, who was glaring at her and breathing heavily.

"What is the matter, dear?" the queen asked.

"You were gone when I came back!" Elphaba shouted. "You're supposed to be here when I come home!" Nox took this opportunity to jump out of Elphaba's arms, though he stayed nearby. Elphaba advanced on the queen. "I needed you to be here when I came home, and you weren't!"

The queen stared down at Elphaba, and noticed the tears in her eyes. It took everything in her power to not bite out a retort, to not slap the girl in the face for her rudeness. She had to admit, she loved the green skinned girl far too much, the green skinned girl who was looking at her with a mixture of pain and rage. _Maybe, _the queen thought, _maybe I know what it feels like to feel pain and rage._

"I had business to attend to, Elphie. You know perfectly well that I have my own…problems to deal with."

"But, I needed you to be here when I came home!"

The queen finally realized what Elphaba had said. She was calling the castle home. She tilted her head to the side, and regarded the young witch. "Do you really think of this place as your home?"

Elphaba faultered. "I…well, yes. But, that's not the point! The point is that you weren't here when I needed you!"

"And that is why you're angry," the queen said, and it was more of a statement than a question. "Need I remind you, dear, that YOU were the one who rushed off and left me…alone."

Elphaba seemed to almost deflate, giving a defeated sigh. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, as a single tear rolled down her cheek.

"I know," the queen said, reaching up, and wiping the tear away with her thumb. "And…I'm sorry, too. For not being here when you needed me." The queen smoothed a lock of hair back from Elphaba's face. "Now, tell me what is really upsetting you."

Elphaba sighed. "It's that Dorothy girl, of course. She has another companion, this time a Tin Man. And, Dorothy and that ridiculous Scarecrow were rude to the talking trees in the forest! They picked apples from their branches without even asking permission first, and then had the audacity to be rude and insult the trees when they became angry! They have complete disregard for any of the magical creatures who live in that forest," Elphaba fumed. "And, when I was threatening the Scarecrow, the Tin Man thought it was amusing. Like I was some joke!"

"What did you do?"

"I threw a fireball at them."

"And…"

"Well, it was more of a warning, really. I was hoping that that would frighten them enough and that they would give up going to the Emerald City. I was hoping it would frighten Dorothy enough that she would run back to Glinda, and practically beg her to take the shoes off of her feet."

"I see," the queen said. "Well, let's see if your clever little plan worked," the queen added, affectionately, as she playfully chucked Elphaba under the chin. They walked over to the queen's mirror. "Show me Dorothy Gale and her companions," the queen said to the mirror.

"As you wish." The mirror swirled, and the queen and Elphaba saw Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the newest member of their troop, the Cowardly Lion. Elphaba screamed in frustration. "Why?! Why, why, why?!" she screamed, as she watched them skipping down the yellow brick road.

"Enough," the queen said to the mirror and the image vanished. She went over to Elphaba, who looked as though she was about to yank her hair out.

"Elphaba…" the queen said, and she took the young witch into her arms. "Try to calm down."

"I'm sorry! I just don't understand. All I want are Nessa's shoes. All I want are my little sister's shoes!" Elphaba started to cry, and made small choking sounds.

"Shhh. Calm down," the queen told her.

"I can't! Nothing ever works out the way I want it to, and I don't understand why, Regina. I don't understand why!"

The queen looked at Elphaba. "I wish I had an answer for you, but I don't. Except, I understand how you feel," the queen told her, wiping Elphaba's face.

"I know," Elphaba said with a sniff.

The queen smiled. "Why don't you get some sleep? It's quite late now. And, if you want, I'll help you come up with some ways of stopping Dorothy."

Elphaba smiled and nodded. "Okay. Goodnight, Regina," Elphaba said, and did something that she had never done before: she gave the queen a light peck on the cheek.

The queen was a little shocked, but soon felt a small smile tug at the corners of her mouth. She was glad that no one else was around to see her smile at such a silly thing.

Elphaba was almost out of the queen's chambers, when the queen spoke up.

"Elphaba?"

"Yes?"

"Earlier today, when you were leaving, you sort of shouted something," the queen paused. "It sounded like 'I love you'."

_She heard me! _Elphaba thought, starting to panic a bit, and feeling foolish. "Oh. Yes. Um, I always say that to Nox when I'm leaving to go somewhere, otherwise he gets moody." Elphaba knew this was a lie, and hoped that the queen believed it, and at the same time hoped that the queen didn't believe the lie.

"Oh. Okay." Elphaba could tell that she had hurt her feelings, and couldn't look her in the eye.

"Um, well, goodnight," an embarrassed Elphaba said, as she scurried out of the queen's chambers.

The queen was a bundle of conflicting emotions. She felt wounded from what Elphaba had just told her, yet she had gotten the feeling that the girl had been fibbing to her. _No, no, no, she probably did mean it for Nox. What a silly thought, thinking she meant that for me. _The queen shook her head and went over to her mirror. She always kept an eye on Elphaba at night. She didn't know why, but she was always compelled to do so.

The mirror swirled, and she saw Elphaba in her bedchambers, already changed into a night gown, and climbing into bed. And, the queen noticed something else. _Is she crying? _Elphaba was sniffing and wiping her eyes. The queen watched as Nox jumped up onto the bed, next to Elphaba.

"Oh, Nox. Why did I lie to her? She looked so hurt. I should have just told her the truth, but I got scared," Elphaba sniffled, as Nox curled up next to her. The queen gasped, her breath catching in her throat. "I really do love her. I don't know why, but I do. I should have just told her, but instead I lied to her. I chose to hurt her feelings. I really am wicked."

_Oh no, Elphaba, don't think that. You were just frightened. Love is scary, it really is. Don't cry!_

The queen watched Elphaba bury her face in Nox, and soon, the girl started to drift off to sleep.

"I love you, too," the queen whispered, her mother's warning of _Love is a weakness, _echoing in her head.

(Author's Note: Well, this one took a long time to write. It's the end of the semester, so I've had a ridiculous amount of this to do this month, including a crafts fair that I just sold some of my jewelry at on Saturday. But, I finally finished the chapter, and I thought I would upload it before I go on Thanksgiving break, and before things get even more hectic/crazy. Anyway, I really hope you enjoyed this chapter. The end portion of this went in a completely different direction from how I thought it would. For example, I didn't expect Regina's dad to be in the chapter, but I felt like he needed to make an appearance. The infamous poppy scene was supposed to be in this chapter, but again, that didn't go as planned. Besides, it didn't feel like the right moment just yet. However, it'll most likely happend in chapter 18? Something like that. As always, review, review, review, and happy reading!)

(P.S. I did a crazy amount of research for this chapter, and for future chapters in FTL. I watched a bunch of clips of the Wicked Witch of the West from the movie, in order to get certain situations right. I also changed some things, because there are certain facts that aren't in the movie that I found interesting. In L. Frank Baum's books, the Wicked Witch uses a mirror to see what is going on in the west. Also, she's afraid of the dark. And, the original concept for the Wicked Witch, for the movie, was that she was supposed to be sly and glamorous, modelled after the Evil Queen from Disney's Snow White. So, there you go.)


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16: Thus do go about, about**

It was finally the weekend, and Rowan sat in front of her easel, her paintbrush hovering in front of the blank canvas. She twirled her white rose locket between her fingers, the migraine she had starting to grow worse. Rowan closed her eyes, and rubbed her forehead against the back of her hand, a wave of nausea hitting her. She had had another strange dream last night, and the images were still fresh in her mind. As she concentrated on trying to make the nausea go away, the dream flashed in front of her eyes again, playing like a film on the back of her eyelids.

_"You're going to send me away because of a curse?" she asked the queen. The queen, the queen with the mayor's face turned to look at her. She could see the pain and sorrow in the queen's eyes._

_ "Yes," the queen told her. "I don't want to, but I have to." The queen strided over to her, and caressed her face._

_ "Why? Why can't we just stay together?"_

_ The queen gripped her shoulders. "Because when I enact the curse it's going to send the inhabitants of our world somewhere horrible. And, I love you far too much to subject you to that."_

_ "But, I'll be miserable anyway! Because I won't be with you. Regina," she pleaded. "You're my only friend, the only person who matters to me."_

_ "And, I feel the same way about you," Regina told her. "But, if I send you away, there's a chance that you'll find me, some day. There's a chance you won't forget me. There's a chance you'll still be happy." The queen smiled reassuringly, but it was still a smile filled with pain and sadness. "Elphie, you know why I have to do this. I told you what Snow White took away from me. It'll be a fresh start, for the both of us." The queen lovingly caressed her face again. "Besides, everyone in Oz thinks you're dead anyway."_

_ She sighed. "If it must be done, then so be it. I just hope that I can find you, and that I do remember you." She stroked Nox in her arms. "Besides, I'll have Nox to guide me." She wanted to cry, but she wouldn't let herself._

Rowan shook her head, which only seemed to make the migraine worse. The rest of the dream flashed in front of her eyes again.

_Sorrow was almost choking her as she silently said goodbye to the woman she loved so much, the woman who had treated her like she was the most special human being in the whole realm, the woman who had treated her better than her own mother had ever treated her, the woman who had given her a home and had given Nox a home. The woman who she knew loved her to the ends of the universe and back._

_ With Nox on one shoulder, and her twin slung over her other shoulder, she jumped through the portal, and felt it close behind her._

_ She bit back a scream as she felt herself falling, and clung desperately to Nox and her twin. She saw a light growing beneath her, and before she knew it, the floor of a circular room appeared beneath her. She used magic to cushion her fall, and when she landed, she did so on two feet. She heard her twin moan, and felt her stirring, so she gently placed her on the ground. Nox stayed perched on her shoulder as she surveyed her surroundings. They were in a circular room, with doors all around them. 'One of these doors,' she thought, 'one of these doors will help me find my way back to Regina. The question is, which door will do it?'_

_ She pondered this, and heard her twin moan again. 'Elphie? Where are we?' her twin asked, blinking up at her._

_ 'I don't know, obviously. But, it's somewhere that will allow me to get back to Regina.'_

_ Her twin lurched to her feet, and Elphaba didn't bother helping her. Instead, she walked around the room, surveying the doors. She knew one led to Wonderland, and one led to Oz. 'Maybe one will lead to that realm that Regina mentioned, the realm without magic.'_

_ 'Elphie! Your skin! It's…'_

_ 'It's green, like always.'_

_ 'No, look!'_

_ 'I'm trying to find a way back to Regina!' she yelled. 'Shut-up and let me think!' She paced the room again. 'How do I figure this out?' she thought to Nox._

_ 'I'm not sure. I'm not sure where the queen is. I don't know how to smell a realm without magic. I'm a cat, not a bloodhound.'_

_ 'Then, what do I do?'_

_ Nox kneeded her shoulder. 'I would just keep hunting until I found her.'_

_ 'Alright, then that's what I'll do.' She opened one of the doors, and felt a small breeze, a beautiful scenery stretching out in front of her. 'Wherever we go, Nox, don't leave me.'_

_ Nox purred. 'I never will.' She felt his tail swat the back of her head. 'Now, lets go hunting!'_

_ 'Elphie, wait! I'm coming with you!' she heard her twin say. She stepped through the door, and started to fall, holding onto Nox on her shoulder, and feeling her twin falling next to her._

Rowan dropped her pallet and her brush, and ran to her bathroom. She knelt over the toilet and vomited, the migraine making spots appear in front of her vision. She vomited a few more times, and started to cry. She felt Nox brush against her. Rowan flushed the toilet, and sat back, leaning against the wall. The migraine was finally starting to fade. "Oh Nox, what the hell is wrong with me?"

Nox climbed into her lap and stared intently up at her, as though he was willing her to remember something. "I need to go for a walk. Maybe the cold, crisp air will help," Rowan concluded. "Want to come with me?" Nox blinked once at her and kneeded her chest. "Okay, this'll be good for the both of us. It'll help me clear my mind, and you'll get to explore Storybrooke a bit."

Rowan slowly stood up, Nox in her arms, and walked out of the bathroom, and over to her closet. She could hear her twin moving around in the apartment.

_At least someone got to sleep in a bit, _Rowan sighed, as she stood in front of her closet. She heard her twin coming down the hallway, humming and singing, and Rowan had to use everything in her power to keep herself from walking out of her room, and strangling her twin. _Life was so much better when I wasn't living with Arabella. But…was it really? _Rowan thought, as she rifled through her closet. She remembered how lonely she had been when she lived by herself in Upper Darby. Now, though, she wasn't as lonely. _Okay, Arabella is still an annoying bitch. But, if I hadn't come with her to Storybrooke, I never would have found Regina. _Rowan shook her head. _Met, not found. Met. _She thought back to her dream, where a green-skinned version of herself promised to find this queen, whose name was also Regina.

Alarm bells were going off in her head, and the migraine was starting to return. She absentmindedly twirled her locket between her fingers, as she grabbed a green plaid flannel shirt, and a black turtle-neck. She paused, and heard Arabella moving around the kitchen, the faucet being turned on. Rowan grabbed a pair of black skinny jeans, and black moccasins, and proceeded to get ready.

As she got dressed, brushed her hair, brushed her teeth, and put on make-up, she thought about the dream again, and everything that had happened to her, so far. _Okay, a queen with the mayor's face, and the mayor's name. And, I loved her. Or, someone like me loved her. And, I had green skin? _She looked down at her green plaid shirt. _I own a lot of green, and I don't even like green. But it…feels familiar, _something in the back of her mind whispered. The dull migraine ebbed and pulsed behind her eyes, and she leaned over the sink, taking deep breaths. _What is happening to me? _She felt herself starting to panic, starting to grow hysterical. She inhaled deeply, and pushed the dream…._the memories_…something whispered….out of her head, finished getting ready, and exited the bathroom.

She went over to her box of art supplies, and grabbed her sketchpad—the one containing the drawings of the queen with Regina's face—a box of drawing pencils, and a box of sticks of charcoal. _I'll walk around town, and I'll do some sketching. That'll help to get my mind off of things. _She grabbed her sketch pad, the boxes of pencils and charcoal, shoved them into her bag and walked out of her room.

"Going somewhere?" Arabella asked, sipping her cup of coffee.

"No, I'm dressed like this so I can lounge around the apartment," Rowan told her.

"Oh, haha," Arabella said. "No, really, where are you going? Are you going somewhere with Mayor Mills? I know you went over to her house this week for dinner. Are you two having lunch today, or something?"

Rowan sighed, and started to open the front door.

"Hey, that's fine. It's good that you finally have a friend, although I don't know how professional it is to befriend your boss."

Rowan rolled her eyes, and walked out the door.

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She walked down the sidewalk with Nox, her arms crossed over her chest. The air was crisper and colder than she thought it would be, but she didn't care. The chill woke her up, and helped her to focus on something other than the thoughts that were tumbling around her mind. She noticed how happy Nox seemed, finally able to explore a bit, and she let him roam where he pleased, though he never ventured too far from his favorite human.

Rowan really didn't know where she was going, as she wandered past some small stores, but she didn't care. Nox was with her, and she would always find her way home as long as he was with her. Nox would always be there to guide her.

After a while, she came upon a toll bridge—although an "R" had been written in, making it "TROLL BRIDGE" which made Rowan laugh—and she decided to cross it. She eventually came upon a horse stable, and decided to take a look inside. _Maybe I'll sketch some of the horses, and Nox can hunt some mice or something. _She tentatively walked inside, and looked into some of the stalls, as she passed by them. There were horses in each of the stalls, some eating, some regarding her as if to say, "You're new here."

Rowan felt at home in the stable, and the horses were friendly faces. They weren't judgmental, and she felt at peace around the large animals. She heard some movement to her left, and looked to find a black and white horse sticking his head out of his stall, and regarding her with kind eyes. He softly whinnied, and Rowan noticed a glimmer of joy in his eyes.

"Well, hello there," Rowan, said, as she approached him. The horse neighed, and Rowan reached up to pat his nose, noticing that his face was half black, and half white. Rowan stared into his kind eyes, and felt like she was seeing a long lost friend, an old friend. _Strange. I've never seen this horse before. _But, something told her that wasn't true. _This guy. This guy will be the one I'll sketch. _

Rowan opened the stall door and stepped inside. The horse seemed to shuffle happily, and he immediately went over and nuzzled her, his ears flicking at the sound of her happy laughter. _He _was happy, because he had finally found his mistress after so long. She looked slightly different, but he knew it was her. He knew her voice and he knew her smell. She didn't seem to recognize him, though, and he didn't understand why. _Maybe I've done something wrong, _he thought. _I'll be on my best behavior, then!_

Rowan ruffled his black-and-white mane. "You're a friendly guy, aren't you?" she said affectionately to him. She felt herself becoming emotional, tears starting to well up in her eyes, and she didn't know why. _Maybe I'm just tired and stressed, _she thought to herself, although something deep down inside told her otherwise.

"Do you mind if I sketch you? Hmmm?" she asked the horse, even though she knew she wouldn't really get an answer. The horse neighed and appeared to nod. Rowan laughed. "Okay, great." She walked over to a block of hay that was in the stall, sat down, and pulled out her sketchpad, along with some graphite pencils.

The horse turned his head to watch her. He didn't know what sketching was, but he was happy that his mistress was staying. He watched her pick out something that looked like a twig, and opened some sort of contraption with paper in it. _This must be what sketching is, _he thought to himself. He turned, approached his mistress, and snuffled the things in her lap.

"That's a sketchpad," Rowan told him. _Oh, why am I talking to him? It's not like he can understand me. _She held up her pencil. "And, this is what I'll sketch you with." The horse snuffled the pencil. She patted his nose. "Now, you go stand back over there, where you were," she told him. "Go on. And stand perfectly still."

He walked over to where he was before, and stood as still as he possibly could. _Must be on my best behavior, _he thought. _That'll make her happy. And then, maybe she'll reward me with a ride. Or, an apple! Or both!_

Rowan started to sketch the black and white horse, becoming absorbed in her work, unaware of everything around her.

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Arabella heard a knock on the door. _Oh, that's probably Rowan, _Arabella thought, setting down her coffee cup, and walking over to the door. She opened it, expecting to see her twin, and instead saw Henry Mills.

"Oh! Henry! What a pleasant surprise. Come in!" Henry entered, and she noticed a large brown book in his hands, as she shut the door behind him.

"Does your mom know you're here?" she asked him.

"Oh, uh, yeah!" Henry said, and Arabella got the impression that he was lying, but she didn't push it.

"Okay. So, what can I do for you?"

"When you and your sister came to Storybrooke, at first I didn't know what fairytale characters you guys were. So, I looked through my book again, and I think I've figured out who you guys are."

Arabella sighed. _I'll just humor him. _"Oh, really? And what fairytale characters are we?" she asked, approaching Henry, as he was opening his book.

"Here!" he said, holding the book open. Arabella looked closely at the book, and saw a page that had flying monkeys on it. "I don't get it," Arabella said.

"The Wizard of Oz!" Henry said excitedly.

"I'm the Wizard of Oz?" Arabella asked. She was starting to feel like her head was spinning.

"No, that's your story. Look," Henry flipped the page, and Arabella saw a girl skipping down a yellow brick road, with a scarecrow, a man made of tin, and a lion, with an emerald green city in the distance. "See? It says that Dorothy and her friends were helped by Glinda, the Good Witch of the North. See? There you are in a bubble in the sky." Henry pointed to this image of Glinda. "You look exactly the same, except that your hair is shorter now. And, I think your sister Rowan is the Wicked Witch of the West. At first, I couldn't find her, but then I noticed in some pictures of the Evil Queen, you can see the Wicked Witch in the background. I think they're connected somehow. Look!" Henry flipped to the picture of the Evil Queen, when she had walked into Snow White and Prince Charming's wedding, telling them about the curse. "If you look really close, you see her in the background. And, she's in some of the other pictures with the Evil Queen, also." Henry started to flip to those pages, but stopped when he heard Arabella laughing.

"Oh Henry, you silly boy, we're not fairytale characters," Arabella said, her laughter coming out a bit hysterical. "Nope, not fairytale characters at all. And, Glinda looks nothing like me. That's funny, though. Thank you for showing me. You made me laugh," Arabella said, and let out another hysterical giggle. "Time to go! You're mom will worry." She started ushering Henry towards the door.

"But…"

"See you at school on Monday!" Arabella said cheerily, as she shut the door in Henry's face. She kept laughing, and couldn't seem to stop. The thing that had troubled her the most was the fact that everything that Henry told her, and showed her, rang true. But, Arabella knew that was nonsense. Utter nonsense. It was impossible. If she was this fairytale character, this Glinda the Good Witch, she would remember it, wouldn't she? She shook her head, and giggled some more. _What a silly, precocious little boy! What a big imagination! I'm glad he stopped by. _Arabella busied herself with cleaning the apartment, still occasionally giggling hysterically to herself, and trying to hold on to her sanity.

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Rowan was so absorbed in sketching the black-and-white horse that she didn't notice the click, click, click of the high heels that were approaching the stall door.

"Rowan?"

Rowan looked up to see Regina Mills standing at the stall door.

"Regina! Hi!" Rowan said. Regina opened the stall door, and stepped inside.

"What a pleasant surprise, to find you here," Regina said affectionately. The truth was, she wasn't surprised at all. She figured it would only be a matter of time before Rowan found Lasher, and if Rowan hadn't found him by herself, Regina would have concocted some plan to reunite Rowan with her horse. Regina could tell that Lasher was happy to finally be with his mistress, and she gave him the apple that she was holding in her hand, an amused smirk crossing her face as he happily chomped it up.

Lasher was extra happy now. The queen had come to visit him, like she always did, and had rewarded him with an apple. _I got an apple for being good! This is a great day! The queen and my mistress are both here! I am happy! _He always liked the queen, because she smelled like his mistress, which meant that they both smelled like apples. And he loved apples.

"I wasn't feeling well, so I thought I'd go for a walk, and maybe do some sketching. I came upon this stable, and thought I'd sketch some of the horses," Rowan told her. "This handsome guy was so sweet and enthusiastic that I decided to sketch him."

_He was enthusiastic because your horse was happy to see you. He still remembers you, even though you don't remember him. _"May I join you?" Regina asked, gesturing to the empty spot next to Rowan.

"Sure," Rowan told her, and Regina tentatively sat down next to the girl who was once her best friend. Her heart was racing, and her stomach flip-flopped, as she rubbed the palms of her hands against her coat. She decided to steal a peek at Rowan's drawing, and saw an almost life-like rendering of Lasher.

"Oh, Rowan, that looks fantastic. It looks exactly like him," she told her. "You really are talented," Regina added, as she nudged Rowan playfully with her elbow.

"Thanks," Rowan said, blushing shyly.

"You're welcome. And, I mean it. That's a very lovely picture of Lasher." Regina watched as Rowan froze, and then slowly turned to look at her.

"Lasher?" Rowan said, and she heard the horse neigh. She saw a look of glee in his eyes, and she looked back at Regina, who was staring at her intently. Her head was starting to spin, and her mouth felt dry. "That's, um, a really interesting name. Very rock and roll."

Regina chuckled. "Well, I'm glad you think so. I didn't name him that, though, his original owner did." Regina watched Rowan as she said this, and Regina saw recognition flash in her eyes, and she was obviously struggling to remember. _He's your horse! _Regina wanted to shake her. _You named him that!_

"So, uh, how long have you had him?" Rowan asked curiously.

"Oh, quite a long time," Regina said. "I've had him since before I adopted Henry."

"Oh? Do you, um, ever ride him?"

"I try to, as often as I can. I think he still misses his original owner, though."

"Hm," Rowan said, nonchalantly, as she looked back down at her sketch. Regina saw Rowan's hand starting to shake a bit, as she brought the tip of the pencil back to the paper to add the finishing touches. _She's starting to become freaked out by all of these subconscious memories! The poor thing… _Regina tentatively reached out her hand, and slowly closed her hand over Rowan's to still the shaking.

"Rowan, dear, you must be freezing," she said, noticing how cold Rowan felt. "Here," she said, as she went to take her coat off.

"No, no, I'm fine! The cold isn't really bothering me. Besides, you'll freeze, yourself, if you take your coat off."

"Okay, well, at least wear this," Regina said, taking her scarf off, and wrapping it around Rowan's neck. She saw the corner of Rowan's mouth quirk up in a half smile, as she continued shading and adding more details, while Regina adjusted the scarf, and pulled Rowan's long, dark hair out from underneath it. She felt her maternal instincts start to bubble up—though she didn't quite know why—as she started to button up Rowan's green flannel shirt. Rowan chuckled, and then sighed.

"You know, I can really finish the sketch if you're going to fool with my shirt and get in the way."

"Well, your warmth is a bit more important to me, at the moment, than your drawing," Regina said, as she finished buttoning Rowan's shirt, and started to roll down her sleeves and button those, too. "I'm a mother, so humor me," Regina said, and felt her stomach clench. The memory of her lost baby started to creep into her mind again, but she pushed it away, once again blocking it out. She heard Rowan sigh.

"Whatever," she muttered, and Regina felt the corners of her mouth quirk up.

"There," she said, patting Rowan's arm when she finished buttoning the sleeves.

"Satisfied?" Rowan asked, as she continued with the sketch.

"Yes," Regina said, and continued to watch Rowan sketch. She took the time again to really take in Rowan's features, and noticed some things that she had never noticed before. Rowan's hair wasn't pitch black, like she had always thought it was. In fact, it was closer to her own shade. _Hmmmm…._Regina thought. She also noticed that Rowan's nose looked almost like hers. _Oh, this is silly. I'm just making these connections because we were so close, and I'm just…projecting? Yes, that's it. Projecting, _she thought to herself, a dull ache settling in her stomach, as she noticed how Rowan's look of concentration was the same look Daniel used to get when he worked with the horses. _Daniel…_Regina felt her throat constricting, and closed her eyes a moment, as she pushed away any thoughts and memories that were creeping into her consciousness at the moment. When her mind was perfectly blank she opened her eyes again, and saw just Rowan. Just Rowan who used to be Elphaba. _My Elphaba. _

"There!" Rowan said, proudly, holding up the finished sketch of Lasher. "Look," Rowan said, handing Regina the sketchpad. "What do you think?"

Regina took in every detail of the drawing of Lasher. _You've captured your horse beautifully, dear. _"I love it," Regina told her. A smile bloomed across Rowan's face, and Regina watched her get up, stretch, and walk over to Lasher.

"Thank you for letting me sketch you," Rowan told him, resting her head on his flank. Lasher whinnied softly.

Regina looked down at the sketchpad in her hands, and got curious. "Do you mind if I look at some of your sketches?"

Rowan hesitated before answering. "No, go ahead."

Regina flipped through the sketchpad. _No wonder you've made a living off of your art. You're so talented. _She continued to flip through the sketchpad, and stopped when she saw something that made her heart race. The page she was staring at was a charcoal portrait of herself as the Evil Queen. _Oh my god. She drew me. _Regina felt her head spinning. _Where did this come from? Why did she draw this? Is she remembering our life together? And, if so, how much is she remembering? _Regina looked up at Rowan, who was still resting her head on Lasher's flank, a peaceful expression on her face.

"Rowan…."

Rowan opened her eyes, and turned to look at Regina. "Hmmm?"

Regina held up the sketchpad.

"Oh, um, you found it," said a slightly embarrassed Rowan.

"How did you come up with this?" Regina asked.

Rowan stared down at her feet, shuffling them. "Well, I was kind of hoping I wouldn't have to talk about this, because I've been afraid that you might think I'm crazy."

"I promise I won't," Regina said, smiling reassuringly.

Rowan sighed, and walked over to Regina, sitting down next to her.

"I've…I've been having these dreams. I don't know what they mean. You're in a lot of them, only you look different. Arabella was in some of them, and she kind of looks different, too. But, mainly, the dreams have you in them, and I think you're supposed to be some kind of queen. And, I have green skin, which makes absolutely no sense." Rowan felt the words tumbling out of her mouth, and she couldn't stop them. "A few of the dreams had my little sister Tessa in them, only she looked different, too. And…she died because some girl's house fell on her. Some girl named Dorothy. But, Tessa died in a car accident with my parents, so that makes no sense. And, the dreams are just so weird, and I just feel like I'm going crazy."

_So, she thinks the dreams are simply just dreams, and not memories…._Regina reached her hand over, and clasped Rowan's trembling hand, her thumb caressing the back of Rowan's hand. "I'm sure you're not going crazy," Regina told her. _Tell her! Tell her! _But, although she wanted to, she couldn't bring herself to do it. _What if I tell her the dreams are actually memories, that everything is true, and she gets scared, and never wants to see me again? What if I tell her the truth, and she goes running in the opposite direction? _"Dreams are funny. Sometimes they're subconscious manifestations of our hopes and fears."

"Well, then that makes even less sense," Rowan muttered.

Regina chuckled. "Well, I don't think dreams are ever supposed to make sense," Regina told her. Then, a question popped into her head. "How long have you been having the dreams?"

"Um, I'm not sure. I think I was having them when I lived in Upper Darby, but I don't remember them. I just know that sometimes I would jolt awake in a panic, or I'd wake up confused. But, they've been more vivid and detailed since I moved here. I actually haven't been sleeping that well because of them."

"You shouldn't let them upset you, dear," Regina said, giving Rowan's hand a squeeze. _They're memories! Happy, wonderful memories that should comfort you, not upset you. _

"That's easier said than done."

"I know. But, just try," Regina told her. "Maybe it might help if you get one of those dream interpretation books."

Rowan shrugged. "I guess."

Regina smiled at her again. "Well, I really need to get home to Henry. Would you like me to drive you home?"

"Sure," Rowan said. Regina handed the sketchpad back to Rowan, and watched her put it in her bag.

"You know, you're welcome to come here and see Lasher anytime you want. He really seems to like you."

Rowan stood up, throwing her bag over her shoulder. "Yeah, that would be nice,"

"And, maybe you could ride him, too. I'm sure he would like that."

"I'd like that, too. But, I've never ridden a horse before."

_Oh, yes you have. _"That's okay. I'll teach you. But, I have a feeling you'd be a natural," Regina said.

Rowan walked over to Lasher. "Bye, Lasher," she said, and gave him a kiss on the nose, which caused Lasher to flick his tail with happiness. Regina and Rowan walked out of the stall.

"Nox! Come one, we're going home," Rowan called. She waited a couple minutes, but there was no sign of Nox. "Nox? Nox!" Rowan called, starting to panic.

"Maybe he's just hunting," Regina suggested, though she was a little worried, too. Nox was never far from his mistress.

"But, he always comes when I call," Rowan said. She started walking around the stables, looking for Nox, and calling his name. She felt her throat constricting and her heart starting to race.

"Maybe he's already back at your apartment," Regina said, when a panicked Rowan came back over to her.

"No, he's always with me! He would never go back home without me," Rowan said, and Regina saw tears in Rowan's eyes.

"Oh, honey, don't get upset. I'm sure he'll show up," Regina said, putting her arm around Rowan. "Let me take you home. I'm sure Nox will show up eventually, he's probably just hunting in the woods."

Rowan pushed away from her. "No, I have to go look for him!" Regina watched Rowan run out of the stable.

"Rowan!" Regina shouted, hurrying after Rowan.

Rowan was outside, looking around for Nox. "Nox! Nox!" She started to take off towards the woods, but Regina grabbed her arm. "Let go, I need to go look for him!" Rowan said, trying to pull away from Regina.

"You can't go dashing off into the woods! You could get lost!"

"I don't care! Nox is probably lost right now! Now, let go!" Rowan tried to pry Regina's hand off of her arm, but Regina had an iron grip.

"Listen to me! Blindly running off into the woods is not going to make anything better. God forbid if you got lost or hurt. Then neither of you would be in a good position."

"I told you, I don't care! Why won't you let me go look for him?" Tears were threatening to spill over, and Regina felt her heart break.

"Because I don't want something to happen to you! The temperature is going to drop even more, come night fall, and I don't want you out there freezing to death." Regina saw Rowan open her mouth to respond, but Regina placed her hand over Rowan's mouth. "Look, we don't even know he went into the woods. He could have gone back into town. So, how about this? We'll drive back to town, we'll pick up Henry, and then we'll drive round town and look for Nox. How does that sound? Just nod or shake your head." For a moment, Rowan didn't do anything. She just stared back at Regina, and Regina saw Elphaba staring defiantly back at her. Regina could almost hear Elphaba saying, "I don't need your help! I'm the Wicked Witch of the West." She saw the stubborn, green-skinned girl staring back at her, and her heart broke. And then, like always, Elphaba disappeared, and it was just Rowan staring back at her. Rowan closed her eyes, and nodded slowly. Regina smiled reassuringly, and caressed Rowan's cheek with her thumb. "Come on," she said, placing her arm around Rowan's shoulders, and guiding her to the car.

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Regina drove around Storybrooke, Rowan in the passenger seat and Henry in the back seat.

"He's probably not far. Nobody can leave Storybrooke because of the curse," Henry said, looking out the window. Rowan rolled her eyes, but chose not to say anything. Her eyes were scanning the streets and the sidewalks, her heart leaping at every dark shape she saw, before realizing it was just a shadow.

"There is no curse, Henry," Regina responded automatically, her eyes also scanning the streets and sidewalks for any sign of Nox.

"Yes, there is! And, you know it, and you're the Evil Queen, and Rowan's…."

"Can we stop talking about a stupid curse?!" Rowan shouted suddenly.

"It's not stupid," Henry mumbled.

Rowan twisted around in her seat to look at Henry. "You want to know what's stupid? The fact that you think your mom is a horrible person, when she loves you with all of her heart and soul. And you know what else is stupid? The fact that you're listening to a goddamn book! Do you know what I would give to have a mother like Regina? My mom fucking sucked! When I wasn't being treated like shit, she was acting like I didn't exist. And, you want to know something else that's stupid? The fact that my twin made me uproot my life, and come here!"

"Rowan, stop it! Don't yell at Henry!" Regina had almost slipped up and said, "your brother," instead of "Henry", though she didn't know why. _They certainly are fighting like siblings, _Regina thought.

"I'm sorry," Rowan muttered, slumping down in her seat, her arms crossed. Regina glanced over at Rowan, and saw tears threatening to spill over. Regina sighed. "It's okay," Regina said, reaching over and giving Rowan's shoulder a squeeze. "I know you're upset, and I know you're worried about Nox. But, it's getting late, and we've been driving around for quite a while. Why don't I just take you home, and if Nox isn't waiting outside your door in the morning, I promise we'll look for him tomorrow."

"Really?" Rowan asked, looking over at Regina.

"Really," Regina said, smiling reassuringly, and squeezing Rowan's shoulder again.

"Okay," Rowan said, and Regina drove towards Rowan's apartment.

"Henry, wait in the car while I walk Rowan up to her apartment. I won't be long," Regina told him.

Rowan got out of the car, and Regina walked over beside her, her arm automatically going around Rowan's shoulders.

They reached Rowan's apartment door, and Rowan unlocked it, the both of them stepping inside.

"You're back!" Arabella said, and Rowan saw Mary-Margaret and Emma sitting at their new dining room table, having obviously just finished some meal that Arabella had cooked for them. Rowan didn't acknowledge them.

"Miss Blanchard. Miss Swan," Regina said.

"Madame Mayor," Emma responded.

"Where have you been?" Arabella asked, walking over to Rowan. "And…where's Nox?"

"I don't know, obviously," Rowan mumbled.

"I really don't think she wants to talk right now, Miss Jones," Regina snapped. She looked back at Rowan, her tone instantly softening. "It'll be okay," Regina said, tipping Rowan's chin up to look at her. "He's a smart cat. He'll find his way home."

"Yeah…." Rowan said.

Regina smiled at her. "Get some rest. Call me tomorrow if he still hasn't shown up, or if he does show up." She saw Rowan nod, and it took all of Regina's willpower not to hug her. "Well, goodbye Rowan," she said, turning to leave.

"Oh, wait, your scarf!" Rowan said, moving to take off the scarf that was wrapped around her neck.

Regina shook her head. "Keep it." She smiled at Rowan again, and Rowan watched as Regina walked out, the door closing behind her.

Rowan heard her twin saying something to her, but all she could do was stumble to her bedroom, and close the door behind her. She got undressed, throwing on an oversized shirt. With Regina's scarf clutched in her hand, Rowan climbed into bed.

She felt utterly alone, her cat not there curled up next to her. With Nox, she never slept alone, and this was the very first time she would be going to bed without him curled up next to her. She curled up into a ball, and held Regina's scarf near her face, the faint scent of her perfume filling her nostrils, and bringing her a small amount of comfort. _I don't want to be alone, _she thought to herself, as she finally drifted off to sleep, wishing she was curled up next to Regina, Nox between them.

(Author's Note: Merry Christmas! Okay, it's not Christmas yet, but this is indeed your early Christmas present. This took me a while to finish because of finals, and the fact that once winter break hit, I got kinda lazy. Sorry. Also, this chapter was way longer than I thought it would be. But, sometimes the characters take on a mind of their own, and things happen that I didn't originally intend to happen. One of them was meeting Lasher. Originally, I didn't know what I was going to do with Rowan, other than have her sit down somewhere and sketch something while she was on her walk. And then, I realized that she needed to meet, or really be reunited with, Lasher in Storybrooke. And, then, it took off from there. Also, I didn't intend for Nox to go missing towards the end, but that darn cat took on a mind of his own. So, there you go. As always, review, review, because I'm dying to know what you guys think. And, of course, happy reading!)


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17: Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mewed**

Regina rounded the corner of City Hall, to where her honey crisp apple tree was, a basket over her arm. She intended on picking some apples. She also kind of worried, because she hadn't heard from Rowan yet. _Maybe she's just sleeping in a bit. She must be so mentally and emotionally exhausted from yesterday. _

She rounded the corner, her apple tree in sight, and as she was approaching it, she suddenly stopped, her feet rooted to the ground, and the basket handle slipping off her arm, and hitting the ground with a faint thud. She felt her stomach drop. Lying under the tree was a black shape, and when she finally convinced her legs to move, she drew closer. It was a cat, a black cat, the almost imperceptible black spots glistening in the sunlight. _It's Nox. Oh god, please let him be asleep. Let him be asleep. _She stood over Nox, and still there was no movement. Regina felt her heart pounding in her chest as she knelt down, and touched the still body that was lying in front of her. Her hand felt the side of the stomach that was supposed to be rising and falling, indicating breathing. She fingered the ears that didn't twitch, touched a six-toed paw that didn't move.

_Oh, Nox, no…_Her mind was racing, and despite her often stoic demeanor, she felt tears spring to her eyes. Yes, Nox had been Elphaba's cat, but Regina had always loved him, too, for various reasons. He would always keep her company in the castle any time Elphaba went to Oz. He had always loved her and trusted her, unconditionally, despite the fact that she was the "Evil Queen." She loved him because of how loyal and devoted he was to Elphaba, and how he never left her through their journey through the portal, to whatever realms they had travelled to, and finally to this realm, from Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, to Storybrooke, Maine. Elpbaba was never alone with Nox at her side, and when she came to this realm, ending up in Upper Darby, he stayed with her and guided her, and comforted her through her loneliness.

When Regina had sent Elphaba through the portal, she knew the young witch would be okay as long as Nox was with her. And now, he wouldn't be with her. Regina felt her stomach drop again. She would have to be the one to tell Rowan that Nox was dead, and she would have to see the anguish on her face, and hear her sobbing. She knew she had to do it, though, despite the fact that she was dreading it.

Regina heaved a sigh, and stood up. She hadn't brought her cellphone with her, so she had to walk up to her office to use the phone. It felt like a long walk to Regina, and she dreaded every step. When she finally got into her office, and stood in front of her desk, she simply just stared at the phone. She didn't want to do this. She couldn't. But, at the same time, she couldn't just _NOT _do it. Rowan had to know.

She slowly picked up the phone, and dialed Rowan's number. As it rang, Regina felt a lump in her throat, and almost wished that Rowan wouldn't answer.

"Hello?" she heard on the other end of the phone after a few minutes.

"Rowan, it's Regina."

"Oh, hi!" Regina could hear the exhaustion in Rowan's voice.

"Um…I, um, found Nox," Regina managed to get out, her voice almost breaking.

"Oh! Oh my god! Great! You're at the office, right?"

"Yes, I am, but…"

"Okay, cool. I'll be over there as soon as possible!"

"Okay, I'll be out by the apple tree, but, Rowan…"

"No, no, tell me when I get there. I'll see you soon!"

Regina heard the click on the other end of the line, and her stomach dropped. She gripped the phone in her hand, and stared down at the apple tree, Nox's still body lying underneath it.

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Rowan had thrown on a pair of grey skinny jeans, black suede ankle boots, a black V-neck t-shirt, and a thick black cardigan. She hadn't bothered with makeup, and her hair was in a messy side braid. She had to admit, she probably looked a little rough, but at the moment she didn't care. Regina had found Nox, and all she cared about was being reunited with him.

As she neared city hall, a sense of dread seemed to fall over her, and she didn't know why. _Everything is fine, I'm just assuming the worst, because, well, it's not like I've ever really had anything go my way. _She shook off the sense of dread though, and, with a happy grin on her face, rounded the corner of city hall, Regina's honey crisp apple tree in sight.

Regina heard the footsteps, and saw Rowan's grinning face. And then, she followed Rowan's gaze, and saw her face drop. Rowan froze where she was, and just stared at Nox under the apple tree.

"Oh god. Regina, please tell me he's sleeping."

Regina saw the pleading in her eyes, and the impending anguish. "Rowan, I'm so sorry," she said, and fought back the tears that had sprung to her own eyes. Regina saw Rowan's face crumble, the anguish and sorrow washing over her.

"No…" Rowan choked out, as tears spilled down her cheeks. Regina's heart shattered, and she rushed over to Rowan.

"No, no, no, no!" Rowan was sobbing, and for the first time in a long time, Regina took the girl into her arms and held her as she cried. She held her tightly, her arms around her protectively, her right hand coming up to cradle the back of Rowan's head. At first, Rowan didn't move, just stood there, sobbing against Regina. But, something about the hug made her feel so safe and so loved, that she did something she had never done before: she hugged back.

Regina almost gasped as she felt Rowan's arms slide around her waist, and realized that Rowan was hugging her. As Rowan buried her face in Regina's shoulder, and she felt Rowan's shoulders shaking as she cried, Regina wished that this hug was occurring under happier circumstances.

"Sshh, it's okay. It'll be okay," Regina told her, trying to console Rowan.

"No, it won't!" she heard Rowan say. Her head lifted from Regina's shoulder and she looked her in the eyes. "He was all I had! He was my best friend! I never, never felt alone with him around. I'll be all alone now, and I don't want to be alone."

Regina heard Rowan choking out the words, saw the tears streaming down her face. She wished with all her heart that she could somehow bring Nox back. But, magic didn't work like that, and even if it did, Regina had been out of practice for 28 years.

"Oh, Rowan, you won't be alone. You have me," Regina told her, brushing a tear away with her thumb.

"It's not the same! He was always there! Always!" Regina didn't know what to say. What could she say? Rowan was distraught, and Regina's heart broke for her. She had lost her little sister, and now she had lost Nox.

"If you're actually some evil queen, why don't you just bring him back? Please, just bring him back!"

Regina gasped. Some part of her partially believed that Regina was actually the Evil Queen. She was remembering more and more, and at a time when Rowan's emotions were all over the place, when she was at her most vulnerable, bits and pieces of those memories were popping up subconsciously. Regina realized that Rowan probably didn't realize what she was saying, or why she had really said it.

"Rowan, I can't. I really can't," Regina told her.

"Can't, or won't?"

Regina cupped Rowan's face in her hands. "Do you really think if I could, I wouldn't? I would bring him back in a heartbeat," she told her, her thumbs grazing over Rowan's cheeks.

"I-I know. B-but I just want him b-back so badly! I just want him to be alive!" Rowan started sobbing again. There was a lump in Regina's throat as she leaned her forehead against Rowan's, and continued to caress her cheeks with her thumbs.

"I know. I wish I could fix this. I'm so sorry, dear. I wish I could make this all better," she managed to choke out. She lifted her head up, and looked at Rowan. "I'll call Sydney, and he can help us bury Nox under the apple tree. Nox would like that, don't you think? How does that sound?" Rowan could only respond with a nod, and Regina smoothed a strand of hair out of her face. "I'm going to go call Sydney. I won't be long, and I'll be back as quickly as possible, okay? Take this time to say goodbye to Nox."

Rowan nodded, and she felt Regina's lips brush lightly against her forehead, almost in a kiss. She heard the crunch of the grass as Regina left to go up to her office. Rowan looked at the still form lying under the tree, and if she didn't know any better, she'd swear he was sleeping. She felt herself starting to go into denial, one of the stages of grief. _Maybe Regina made a mistake. Maybe it's not Nox, maybe it's another black cat. _It felt as though her legs were moving of their own accord, as she drew closer. She dropped down onto her knees, next to Nox's body, and saw the almost imperceptible black spots, and the six toes on each paw.

"Oh, Nox," she said, as she gently lifted his body into her arms. She shifted her legs so that she sat Indian style under the apple tree, and hugged Nox's body. "I'm so sorry, baby boy. I'm so sorry." She peppered his furry head with kisses, and wished that a simple kiss would bring back her furry friend. She stroked his head. "I love you so much, Nox. Do you know how much? I love you to the ends of the universe and back." She nuzzled her forehead against the top of Nox's head, his ears tickling her skin. "You were my best friend. You knew me better than anyone else. You've always had the same moody, grumpy personality as me. And, when those weird dreams started, you always made me feel like I wasn't crazy. And, you've been with me since I can remember." _Which isn't that far back, _Rowan thought. _But, that's okay, because Nox always seemed to remember more than I did. He always seemed to know more than I did. _

"It fucking sucks that you had to leave me. I was never alone, as long as you were around. And, now you won't be, and I'm scared. I'm scared of being alone. I don't want to be alone, Nox. I know you'll be with me in spirit, but it's not the same thing." She cuddled him to her. "I guess I do have Reging, though, huh?" she whispered, as she planted a kiss on top of his head, and snuggled him. She didn't hear the footsteps approaching, and looked up when she felt fingers brush lightly against the top of her head.

Regina smiled warmly down at her. "Sydney should be here shortly," Regina told her, and Rowan nodded in acknowledgement. Regina held out her hand to Rowan, and Rowan grasped it, as she stood up, still holding Nox. They stood there a moment, Regina holding Rowan's hand, and there was a sudden gust of wind. Rowan felt some sort of tingling sensation start in her fingers, and work its way up her arm, and eventually through her whole body. It felt almost like electricity, or maybe even magic, and Rowan didn't know what it meant.

She stared at Regina, and something gnawed at the back of her mind, but she pushed it away. Their hands broke apart when they heard footsteps and Sydney rounded the corner.

"Here I am," Sydney said, shovel in hand. He looked at Rowan. "I'm sorry for your loss," he told her. Rowan simply nodded. "Well, uh, I guess I'll get started."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rowan stood near the hole that Sydney had dug, Nox wrapped in a towel in her arms.

"So…does anyone want to say a few words? Anything to Nox?" Sydney proposed.

Regina was standing next to Rowan. "I don't think we need to say anything," Regina said. "He knows." She looked at Rowan when she said this, a half smile on her face. Rowan tried to smile back at her, but her mouth didn't quite cooperate. She looked down at the bundle in her arms. Regina had told Sydney to bring the softest towel he could find, and then she had gently and lovingly wrapped Nox in the towel, almost like a baby. Then, she had carefully placed the bundle in Rowan's arms.

"I can't do this," Rowan said, the tears coming again. "I can't put him in some hole in the ground."

Regina looked at Sydney. "Sydney, can you give us a moment?"

"Sure," Sydney said. Regina waited until he was out of earshot before turning to Rowan.

"Rowan, dear," Regina began. "I understand the reservations you have about putting him in some hole. But, the Nox you're holding in your arms isn't Nox anymore. His…essence isn't there anymore. He's just a shell." Regina realized how harsh that probably sounded, but she didn't know how else to say it. No one had ever talked to her about death before, and she had never gotten over Daniel's death. How did she expect Rowan to deal with Nox's death, when she had never been able to deal with Daniel's death?

"But, if I bury him, then that's…it. It's just so…final," Rowan said.

"I know."

"I really don't want to be alone, Regina."

"I know."

Rowan and Regina stood next to each other, not saying anything. _I'll never let you be alone, Rowan. I promise I'll never let you be alone,_ Regina thought.

"Okay," Rowan said. "I guess we might as well get this over with."

Sydney came back over, and Rowan slowly knelt down. She took Nox, wrapped in the soft towel, and gently placed him in the hole. As the tears ran down her face again, she kissed the tip of her index finger, and then touched it to Nox's nose. "Goodbye," she whispered, barely able to speak. It was the first time she had ever been able to say goodbye, after someone she loved had died. She had never gotten to say goodbye to her little sister, Tessa, and in a way, saying goodbye to Nox was almost therapeutic. Her heart still shattered, though, and as Sydney shoveled the dirt into the hole, Rowan sat there and cried. She kept crying, even when the hole was covered and the dirt patted down.

"You can go now, Sydney," Regina said.

"I was, uh, hoping for a thank you, at least."

"Go!" Regina snapped. Sydney left, and Regina looked down at the still crying Rowan. She brushed her fingers against the top of Rowan's head. "Please stop crying, dear," Regina said, but Rowan's crying didn't cease. Regina knelt down next to Rowan, and smoothed a strand of hair out of her face. "How about I take you home?"

"I don't want to go home!" Rowan bawled. "I don't want to go home knowing Nox won't be there. And, I really don't want to be pestered by Arabella right now," Rowan added, with a sniff.

"Well, then how about I take you to my home? That way you won't be alone. And, you won't have to put up with Arabella getting on your nerves," Regina proposed. Rowan just responded with a shrug, and Regina sighed, and pulled Rowan up by her arm. "Come on," she said, placing an arm around Rowan's shoulders, like she always did when they were together in fairy tale land, and like she would continue to do in this land.

Rowan and Regina walked away from the apple tree, and Nox's grave, not noticing the new honey crisp apple that suddenly started to grow on the tree.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rowan stood in the entryway of Regina's house.

"You can make yourself comfortable on the sofa," Regina told her. "Or, I could make you something to eat."

"I'm not hungry," Rowan said, sadly.

"Okay. How about a glass of wine, then? Or, some tea?" Regina asked. She was at a loss as to what to do. Rowan just looked so sad and defeated, and it reminded Regina of when Elphaba just couldn't seem to win against that Dorothy girl. At least then, Regina had been able to do something to help the young witch. Now, she had no idea how she was going to fix this situation.

"Tea, I guess," Rowan said.

"Alright," Regina said, and patted Rowan on the shoulder. "I'll go make your tea." Regina left and went into the kitchen, and Rowan shuffled into the living room. She sat down on the sofa, and the tears started to come again. She collapsed sideways on the sofa, and cried into the sofa cushion. She was crying so hard that her head started to hurt, and images started to play on the backs of her eyelids. _Random flashes of when she was a child. Getting pushed down into the mud by her twin's friends when they were children. Her mother telling her it was her fault for instigating it. Frustration and more frustration, the frustration eventually morphing into anger. Moving into a shack in the woods when she was older, and crying herself to sleep that night because of how alone she felt, the darkness of the night closing in around her. Walking through the woods collecting herbs, and coming across a river. Wanting desperately to catch some fish, but terrified of the water. A rustle in the bushes, and a feral male tom cat leaping out. A moment of them regarding each other, and then the cat leaping into the river, and catching a very large fish. 'He's fearless!' she thought. Watching as he sets the fish down in front of her. Making a fire to roast the fish, and the both of them being able to eat. The black cat following her through the woods, and that night, sleeping in her bed. And neither of them being alone after that._

Rowan just cried harder, scared and confused by the images. She was crying so hard that she didn't hear Regina enter the room. Regina didn't say anything. She simply set the tea cup and saucer down, lifted Rowan's head up, and sat down on the sofa, placing Rowan's head in her lap. She untied Rowan's braid, and combed her fingers through her hair. She brushed the hair back from Rowan's face, her fingers grazing across her temple. She stroked her long dark hair, and rubbed her back.

"I miss him so much, Regina!" Rowan bawled.

"Shh, I know," Regina cooed, trying her best to comfort the girl.

"I don't even want to be alive right now! I just want to curl up into a ball and die!"

"No, you don't mean that!" Regina said, horrified.

"I do! What the hell else do I have in this world? I have no one!"

"You have me," Regina said.

For a long time, Rowan didn't know what to say. She just laid there, her head in Regina's lap, feeling her stroke her hair and rub her back. She thought about what Regina had said. _I guess I do have Regina. She's more of a friend, than a boss. And, she does seem to care about me. Or, love me? I don't think I've ever had another human being love me, except for Tessa. Is this what it's like? _That thought made Rowan weep.

"Shh. Calm down. You should drink your tea. It's getting cold," Regina said, rubbing Rowan's back.

Rowan sat up slowly, a dull headache settling behind her eyes. She picked up the cup of tea, the warmth of it wafting against her face. She took a sip, and felt the warmth surge through her body as she closed her eyes. Rowan felt Regina rub her back as she took another sip.

Footsteps sounded on the floor. "Mom? Is everything okay? I heard shouting and crying," Rowan heard Henry say.

"It was Rowan, Henry. She's very upset today," Regina told him.

"But, the Wicked Witch of the West doesn't cry," Henry said.

"Henry, stop it." Rowan felt Regina stand up, and heard the click of her heals as she walked over to Henry. "I'm going to let you spend some time with Miss Swan today."

"Yes!" Henry said triumphantly.

Regina sighed and walked back over to Rowan. She tapped on her shoulder. "I'm going to make a phone call. I'll be right back."

Rowan nodded, and heard Regina's footsteps recede. Henry walked over to her.

"Did you ever find your cat?" Henry asked.

"Yes," Rowan said, taking another sip of her tea.

"So, is he okay?"

"Obviously if he was, I wouldn't be crying," Rowan said.

"But, you're the Wicked Witch of the West. You don't cry. The bad guys don't cry," Henry said.

"Don't you have some nose picking to do?" Rowan muttered, ignoring the alarm bells that were going off in her mind.

"I'm ten," Henry said.

"Isn't that what ten year olds do?" Rowan asked, sarcastically.

Before Henry could respond, Regina walked back into the room. "Miss Swan will be here shortly. Why don't you go wait in your room, Henry? I'm sure Rowan doesn't want to be bothered right now.

"Okay," Henry said, scampering off.

Regina stared down at Rowan, whose head was hanging down over her tea. The girl looked so lost and depressed, and Regina didn't know what to do, didn't know how else to console her. She reached her hand out, and ran her fingers through Rowan's hair, but that just seemed to make her cry harder.

_Oh god, oh god. What the hell do I do? _Regina thought.

"Rowan…I…" Regina began, but then the doorbell rang. She tentatively left Rowan, and went to answer the door.

"Miss Swan," Regina said, when she opened the door and saw Emma.

"Madame Mayor."

"Please, come in," Regina said, courteously, though she hated what she was about to do. Emma walked inside, and Regina closed the door behind her.

"Why am I here?" Emma asked.

"I'm giving you the very rare opportunity to spend some time with Henry. Exactly one hour, and then I want him back here, promptly," Regina told her, begrudgingly.

"Seriously?" Emma asked.

"Do I look like someone who makes jokes?" Regina asked, her face her usual stoic mask. On the inside, her emotions were reeling. She didn't want to let Henry go off with Emma, but she had Rowan on her hands, who was a basket case, and she thought it would be better for both Rowan and Henry if they weren't around each other, at least for a while.

"No. I'm just wondering why you're letting me spend time with Henry," Emma said.

Regina cleared her throat. "Because I have an emotionally distraught young woman on my hands, and I thought it might be…better for Henry if he spent some time out of the house, instead of listening to all of the screaming and crying."

"And, who's this distraught young woman?" Emma asked, suspiciously.

"Rowan," Regina simply said.

"What happened to her?"

"I don't see how that's relevant to what we're discussing," Regina simply said.

"Maybe I can help."

"You can't. Now, do you want to take Henry out, or do you want to continue to waste time?" Regina asked, her anger rising. She was giving Emma the opportunity to spend time with Henry, and the stupid woman was being difficult.

"No. Of course I'll take Henry out."

"Good. Henry!" Regina called, and Henry came dashing down the stairs.

"Hi, Emma!" Henry said, enthusiastically.

"Hi, kid," Emma said.

Regina rolled her eyes. "Henry, I'm allowing you to spend exactly one hour with Miss Swan. No more," Regina told him.

"If you try to take Henry away from Regina in that time, I'll find you, and I will kill you," they heard Rowan say from the living room. Regina had to hold back a smile.

"Are you really threatening a sheriff?" Emma asked.

"Are you on duty right now?" Rowan asked.

"No."

"Then, no, I'm not threatening a sheriff. Just Emma Swan." _Ah, there's my Elphaba, _Regina thought, smirking.

Emma bit back a retort. "Come on, kid, let's go," she said, guiding him to the door.

"One hour," Regina reminded them. "Not one minute more."

"Right, got it," Emma said, and Regina watched her leave with Henry. She shut the door, and walked back into the living room with Rowan, who had her head in her hands.

"You didn't have to do that," Rowan muttered.

"I know. But, Henry tends to ask a lot of questions, and he can go on and on about his book of fairytales. I thought you wouldn't want him bothering you."

Rowan didn't say anything, her head still in her hands, and Regina rubbed her palms on her dress. "Would you like more tea?" Regina asked her, and was rewarded with a nod after a few minutes. Regina picked up the cup and saucer, and walked into the kitchen. She poured water into the teapot and put it on the stove. While she waited for the teapot to heat up, she poured a glass of wine, and stood there sipping it, hoping to calm her nerves.

"This is all your fault," Regina heard from the entrance to the kitchen. She turned to find Rowan, who was standing there glaring at her, her hands clenched into fists at her sides.

"What?" Regina asked, her heart hammering in her chest. Rowan advanced into the kitchen.

"It's all your fault Nox is dead!" Rowan yelled. "If you had just let me go and find him, he'd still be alive! He probably froze to death because of you! Because you wouldn't fucking let me go look for him!" Rowan was practically yelling this in Regina's face, and Regina felt something inside her break, the grief washing over her.

"I'm sorry!" Regina yelled, grabbing Rowan and shaking her. "I'm sorry, okay? If I could turn back time, and fix this, I would! But, I can't! And, I'm so sorry!" _I'm so sorry I sent you away, and I'm so sorry Nox died! I'm sorry I didn't let you go look for him, and that I didn't have half the town out looking for him! I'm sorry I couldn't protect him, and I'm sorry I broke your heart, in so many ways. I'm sorry you hate me right now, and I hate myself. I've hated myself for the longest time, and it's killing me that you're angry at me. Because I love you so much. But, you don't remember that. And, I'm so sorry. Most of all, I'm sorry I've never told you 'I love you.'_

She watched Rowan's reaction, and saw her face crumble. Rowan started sobbing, and Regina felt like someone had stabbed a knife through her heart. Rowan sank down to the floor, still sobbing, and Regina panicked when Rowan started to bang her head against the side of the kitchen island.

"Oh no, Rowan, don't do that!" Regina said, sinking down to the floor in front of Rowan, and placing her arm between Rowan's head and the side of the island. "You're going to hurt yourself."

"I don't care!" Rowan sobbed, and Regina was brought back to the day that a grief stricken Elphaba came home to the castle, and told her what had happened to Nessa Rose, the Wicked Witch of the East.

"Well, I do," Regina whispered, and wrapped her arms around Rowan, pulling her into her lap. Rowan automatically buried her face in Regina's neck, and Regina almost felt like she was holding Elphaba again, and they were back at the castle. Only, this time, there was no Nox between them.

"I'm sorry," Rowan choked out.

"It's okay. You're just grieving," Regina told her.

Rowan lifter her head and looked at her. "No, it's not okay! You've been so kind to me, and you didn't deserve any of what I said!" Rowan told her, as she continued sobbing. Regina didn't know what to say. No one had ever apologized to her in that way. She was used to verbal abuse, of any kind, but no one ever apologized.

"I'm such a bad person," Rowan cried. "I'm such a wicked person."

"No, no, don't say that," Regina said, wiping Rowan's tears away with her thumb. She wanted to tell her how sweet she always thought she was, though she never told her because, well, how do you tell the Wicked Witch of the West that she's sweet? _I've never been good at anything like that, anyway. I would have felt like a fool, a weak fool, if I ever admitted that to her face. _"Let's get up, and have some tea," Regina said, soothingly, and Rowan nodded. They stood up, and Regina grabbed an extra tea cup, and two tea bags. She made the tea, both cups to their liking, and handed Rowan a cup.

Regina sipped her tea and watched the broken hearted girl in front of her. _It's like I'm looking at myself, _she thought, and felt a twinge of pain in her stomach. Rowan continued to sniffle as she drank her tea, and Regina reached her hand out to run her fingers through Rowan's long dark hair, and to push a strand behind her ears. _I've really missed how her hair feels…_ It was killing her to see Rowan so upset, just like it always killed her to Elphaba so upset over that mess with Dorothy and the ruby red shoes.

Rowan finished her tea, and Regina saw her flinch in pain. "What's wrong, dear?" Regina asked.

"My head hurts," Rowan told her. _It seems like my head always hurts, these days. _What Rowan didn't tell her was that images of their life in fairytale land were flashing in front of her eyes, though she still didn't understand them. The images made her scared, made her legs shake. _God, I'm fucking losing it. _

"You don't look well," Regina said, touching Rowan's face. "Maybe you should lie down." _Something is happening to her. This is more than grief over Nox dying, although that's not making it any better. She must be so close to remembering, so close, but if I push, I might lose her permanently._ Regina took their cups, and put them in the sink, then put her arm around Rowan's shoulders. "Why don't you lie down for a bit in my bed? It's big, and more comfortable than my sofa."

Rowan nodded, and they walked up to Regina's room. Once they were up there, Regina pulled back the covers, and Rowan plopped down on the bed, sitting upright.

"I think you're missing the point of lying down," Regina said, trying to be a little humorous in hopes of cheering up Rowan. Instead, Rowan just stared down at the floor, looking forlorn. Regina put her hand on Rowan's shoulder. "You know, maybe if you went to sleep, you'd feel better. You look absolutely exhausted, and the migraine worries me. Would you like some pajamas?" Regina asked. She was grasping at straws as to how to make Rowan feel better. She saw Rowan nod, and she affectionately ruffled her hair, like she so often did to Henry when he was small. She got a pair of black satin pajamas out of the drawer for her, and placed them next to her. "I'll let you get changed. Would you like something for your headache?" Rowan nodded again. Regina went into the bathroom, and got a bottle of ibuprofen out of the medicine cabinet, and shook a couple of tablets into her hand. She brought the medicine and a glass of water out to Rowan. "Take these, they'll make your headache go away," Regina said, putting the pills and the glass of water into Rowan's hands. She touched Rowan's face again, and then left so Rowan could get changed.

Rowan stared down at the pills in her hand. A thought crossed her mind: _Should I swallow a bottle of these? Maybe then I won't have to wake up. I won't have to wake up and be alone. _She stared down at her white rose locket, as something gnawed at the back of her mind, and then looked up at the closed bedroom door. Then, she looked at the black satin pajamas sitting next to her.

_No, Rowan, you shouldn't swallow a whole bottle of pills, _she thought to herself. _Look at everything Regina has done for you so far. _She really couldn't stomach the idea of Regina finding her body, and then crying her eyes out, the stoic mayor breaking down. _Don't make her lose you permanently, _something whispered in the back of her mind. Rowan sighed, and popped the two pills Regina had given her into her mouth, and then gulped down the glass of water. Then, she got changed. She folded up her clothes, placed them on top of Regina's dresser, and put on the satin pajamas. She went into the bathroom, and stared at herself in the mirror. _I kind of look like a long-haired version of Regina, _Rowan thought, and wanted to laugh hysterically. Instead, she pushed any and all thoughts out of her head, and splashed some water on her face. Then, she shuffled back to the bed.

She climbed in, and heard the doorbell ring downstairs. _Oh, Henry's back_, she thought, just a tad bit disappointed. _Emma brought him back. _She heard him run up the stairs and into his bedroom, shutting the door. There was muffled talking downstairs. _He probably didn't even hug Regina, or thank her for letting him spend time with Emma, the little asshole, _Rowan thought, disdainfully. She heard the door close downstairs. She heard Regina's footsteps on the stairs, and when they passed by the closed door, Rowan started to cry again. _She's forgotten about me. She's forgotten about me now that Henry is home. _She knew this was ridiculous though. _Regina would never forget you, you idiot! _Yet, she was so used to being forgotten by her own parents, in favor of her twin, that it was what she had come to expect. She was crying so hard that she didn't hear the knock on the door a few minutes later.

"Rowan?" Regina said, as she opened the door. She saw the girl sitting up in bed, in the black satin pajamas, and crying.

"You're crying again?" Regina asked, and then realized how harsh that sounded. _It's because of Emma. That woman always puts me in a bad mood. _She wanted to slap herself for how harsh she sounded. "Are…Are you alright?" she asked, more tenderly this time. "Why are you crying again?" she asked, concerned, her voice softening, and her maternal instincts popping out a bit. It seemed as though Rowan's tears were endless. But, Regina knew how that felt. It seemed as though, after Daniel had died, that her tears were endless, but she had been forced to pull herself together, and hide her heartbreak. She refused to force Rowan to do the same.

"I-I thought you had forgotten about me," Rowan sniffled.

Regina was a little taken aback. "Whatever made you think that?"

"I don't know," Rowan said, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand. "I'm just so used to being forgotten."

_Like how King Leopold always forgot me. _"I know how that feels," Regina said, her thumb rubbing Rowan's knee.

"You do?" Rowan said with a sniff.

"Mmhmm. And, I also know what it's like to lose someone you love," Regina told her.

"Will I ever stop crying?" Rowan asked, in almost a whisper.

"Eventually," Regina told her.

Rowan lifted her eyes, and saw pain and sadness in Regina's eyes. _Oh, Regina, _Rowan thought. _We're so much alike. _Rowan stared at her a little bit longer, and then nodded in response to what Regina said. It made her feel a tad bit better.

"Get some sleep," Regina said, patting Rowan's knee. Rowan scooted down under the covers, and curled onto her side, her back to Regina.

"Don't leave me, okay?" Regina heard Rowan say, quietly. "I don't want to be alone."

"I won't leave you, I promise," Regina said, patting Rowan's arm.

"Good," Rowan said, and Regina saw her drifting off to sleep. She stroked her hair, like she had done back at the castle after Elphaba had lost Nessa Rose, and when Rowan was sound asleep, Regina got up, changed into a pair of gray satin pajamas, and climbed into bed next to a sleeping Rowan.

She sat there in bed, for a moment, looking down at Rowan, whose hands were balled into fists, like she was ready for a fight. _Typical Elphaba_, Regina thought, pushing a strand of hair out of Rowan's face with her finger. _Even in her sleep, a bit of Elphaba comes out. _Regina scooted down in bed, under the covers, and leaned over and kissed Rowan lightly—and almost tentatively—on the temple, like she used to do, and in her ear whispered, "Sleep peacefully, little witch." Regina laid next to her, and slowly reached her hand out to rest it on top of Rowan's clenched fist, which unclenched only slightly at the touch of Regina's hand. Regina smiled, just a bit. _You'll come back to me soon, Elphaba. I can feel it, _she thought, as she drifted off to sleep, too.

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Nox sat on the end of the bed, watching his mistress and the queen sleep. He sighed, wishing he could still be there, next to his mistress, but knew that now he would only be able to do so in spirit.

_I told you I would never leave you. And, I'll come back to you, some day, I promise. _He hoped that in her dreams, she'd hear his vow.

_Take care of her, _he silently told the queen. _She needs you now more than ever. _He continued watching them sleep, and would have stayed there into the wee hours of the dawn, watching over them, but knew that he had to go.

_"Come on, Nox," _he heard behind him, and turned to see his mistress's sister Nessa Rose.

_"You've done a good job taking care of my sister," _she told him. _"But, now, she has to continue without you. It's Regina's job to take care of her now. Not that she really NEEDS to be taken care of," _she added with a chuckle.

_You're right, _Nox thought. They both stared at the pair sleeping in bed together.

_"They're a good team, don't you think?" _Nessa said. _"They're two peas in a pod."_

_They're more alike than they both realize, _Nox said, looking at them. _Although, I think the queen is realizing it more than my mistress is._

_"It's about time," _Nessa said, humorously. _"Although, you knew it the moment you met the queen."_

_Animals always sense these things better than people. They have similar scents._

_"Well, I think it's about time we go, and let them get on with their journey. Besides, we both know you'll come back, some day," _Nessa said. _"A witch needs her familiar."_

_Indeed, _Nox thought. He jumped off the bed, and into Nessa's arms. A faint light streamed through the window, and they passed into it.

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In Rowan's dream, she ran through the Enchanted Forest, her green skin glistening in the sunlight. Nox ran playfully next to her, and Nessa Rose ran ahead of them, occasionally stopping and looking back at her big sister. The Evil Queen jumped out from behind a tree, and playfully caught Rowan around the waist from behind, spinning her around to the point where her feet lifted off the ground momentarily. Laughter rang out of their mouths. It was the happiest she had ever felt.

(Author's Note: This was probably the most difficult chapter to write. EVER. Really. I don't know who experienced more emotional turmoil, me or you. In fact, I honestly dreaded posting this chapter, because I knew that my readers would be extremely upset. And, the thought of that made ME extremely upset. I know you're probably pissed, rightfully so, but it honestly had to happen. Why? Because this chapter leads to Rowan getting her memory back. So, that's why it needed to happen. And, that's why it's so long. Also, Nox WILL come back, just not in a way you will expect. And, it certainly won't be in a way that Regina and Rowan/Elphaba will expect either. But, you'll have to wait for the sequel to see that. Anyway, I'm sorry for taking so long to post. My senior year at college has just started so I've been busy. Also, this was NOT an easy chapter to write, which made me take longer. Killing off a character is NEVER easy for a writer. Never. Ugh. I just...UGH. Review, review, review. And, um, happy reading, if that's possible. The only happy thing about this chapter, is that it brought Regina and Rowan closer together. And, the ending was kind of happy, in a bittersweet sort of way. Now, excuse me while I go curl up in a ball with one of my black cat stuffed animals, and try to heal from this. Jeeze...)


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18: In the Poisoned Entrails Throw**

The queen had been looking for Elphaba all morning, and felt almost like she was on a wild goose chase. The young witch had gone to bed upset, and Regina had watched her through the mirror, hearing her admit that she really did love the queen. Regina's emotions had been turbulent after that, and she had paced her bedchambers restless, before finally going to bed. One thing that the queen had never been good at was telling someone she loved them. Once upon a time, she had been able to tell Daniel that, but after he died, she became afraid of telling anyone, _anyone_, that she was capable of feeling love, for fear that she would come across as weak. But, there were two people she knew she loved: her father and Elphaba. She had to admit, though, she still didn't understand her love for the girl. _Perhaps it's because she reminds me of myself, _she thought.

She wanted to tell Elphaba that she loved her too, but didn't know how to go about doing it. After all, you can't just blatantly blurt out that you love someone. Still, though, Regina felt compelled to do something. So, that morning, Regina had awoken extra early, and gone down to the local market in hopes of finding a gift for Elphaba, some sort of little trinket that would subtly say, "I love you."

She had found the perfect gift, and was now on the hunt to find the young witch. When she had found Elphaba's bed empty, she went looking for her. The guards had told her that Elphaba had gone into the aviary to visit the flying monkeys, but when Regina got there, the young witch was gone. _Where the hell could she be? _the queen thought, feeling herself grow annoyed. Just then, she heard the very light padding of footsteps, and something brushed against her leg. She looked down to find Nox staring up at her.

"Hello, my handsome beast," she said affectionately, as she bent down to stroke Nox. "Do you know where your mistress is? I have a gift I would like to give her."

Nox leaned his head into Regina's hand, and meowed. He dashed off, and the queen quickly followed. He led her outside, and to the stables. With a flick of her hand, the door opened, and Nox dashed inside. The queen followed him to Lasher's stall. She looked in, and saw Elphaba sitting on a bale of hay, and feeding Lasher bits of loose hay. Her chin rested on her hand and she wore her trademark scowl. She had on knee high high-heeled leather boots, leather pants, a black corset with intricate silver designs, and black elbow length gloves. Her hair was in an intricate up do, and she wore a black cloak with green lining. Her lips were painted black, and her eye make-up was dark. Regina thought she looked like a mini-version of herself. _Well, a mini-version of myself if I had green skin. _She felt a smile tug at the corner of her mouth, and she slowly entered the stall.

"Elphaba, dear," she said, smiling down at the girl.

"Hello, Regina," Elphaba said, with a faint smile.

"How are you feeling this morning?" the queen asked.

Elphaba shrugged. "I'll live."

Regina smiled. "Well, you certainly look lovely," Regina said, not letting the girl see the small box she had hidden behind her back. "Although, I think your outfit might be missing something," she added, tapping her mouth with her index finger.

Elphaba cocked an eyebrow and looked up at her. "Oh?"

The queen wore an amused smile as she pulled the small box out from behind her back. "For you," she said, holding the box out to the young witch.

"You…got me a gift?" Elphaba asked. She still wasn't used to receiving gifts, and stared at the small white box wrapped in a black ribbon.

"I did," the queen said. "You were so upset yesterday, I thought I'd give you something to cheer you up. I woke up bright and early, and picked it out just for you."

"Well, you seem to be making a habit of waking up far earlier than you need to, just for little 'ole me," Elphaba said, teasingly. The queen already noticed some of the light coming back into the young witch's eyes.

"I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about. I just enjoy waking up at the crack of dawn," Regina said, with mock innocence. She watched Elphaba's mouth twitch as she tried not to smile, and the queen felt her own mouth starting to twitch.

"Open it, dear," Regina said, thrusting the box at Elphaba. Elphaba took it, untied the black ribbon, and slowly opened the box. She gasped.

Inside was a large white rose cameo locket, with a black background. Elphaba held it up in the light, and the silver gleamed.

"Oh, Regina, it's beautiful." She was stunned by the fact that the queen had given her such a beautiful item. _The wardrobe, the riding clothes, Lasher, and now this. _She would never get used to the queen giving her gifts, how she seemed to spoil and love her. She had spent her entire life in the shadow of her twin, watching her parents lavish Glinda with love and nice things. How Glinda always received such amazing gifts for their birthday, while Elphaba received nothing. _Why couldn't I have grown up with the queen for a mother? Then the tables would have been turned. _But, she was never that lucky.

"Open it," the queen said, a mischievous smile on her lips. I think you'll like what's on the inside."

Elphaba carefully opened the locket, not wanting to damage such a beautiful piece of jewelry. There was a faint "pop" when she opened it, and she gasped when she saw what was on the inside.

Staring back at her were two enchanted images: one of Nox and one of Nessa Rose. The image of Nox cleaned his paw, swiped it over his face, and then sat there looking proud, and looking like the handsome cat he was. The enchanted image of Nessa Rose waved at her, and flashed a crooked grin. Elphaba felt her throat constrict, and tears sprang to her eyes.

"I know you've been upset about Glinda giving your sister's shoes away, because they were the last thing you had of your little sister," the queen said. "Now, you can look on her face every day. And, you can have Nox with you, all the time, no matter where you go.

"I-I don't know what to say," Elphaba said, still looking at the pictures of Nox and Nessa Rose.

"You don't have to say anything," the queen said. "Although, 'thank you' is generally the appropriate response," she added teasingly.

Elphaba looked up at her, a smile pulling at her mouth. "Thank you," Elphaba said.

The queen smiled. "You're welcome."

There was a moment of silence between them, as both wanted to say the one thing that was on their minds, but couldn't muster up the courage to verbalize it.

"You know," the queen said, speaking first. "There's a third compartment in the locket, where you can put another picture." She stepped closer to Elphaba. "Behind the picture of Nessa Rose. See?" She stuck her fingernail under the silver border surrounding the picture, and with a faint "click," the picture swing out, and behind it was the compartment for a third picture. "Maybe you could put a picture of Lasher in there," she suggested.

Elphaba looked over at Lasher, and he stared back at her, and then bumped the locket with his nose. They were obviously thinking the same thing.

"Maybe," Elphaba said casually. Then, she placed her hand over the third compartment, and felt magic flowing from her fingers as the beginning of an image started to form in the third compartment. When the magic stopped swirling, and the magic settled, staring back at her was an image of the Evil Queen. She heard Lasher neigh in approval, and she held up the locket for the queen to see.

"Oh!" the queen said, taken aback. The surprised feeling started to fade, and was replaced with something that the queen hadn't felt in a very long time. It was a feeling of warmth, a feeling that she mattered to someone. It confirmed in her mind that she truly did have a friend, that someone did love her.

"See? Three images of the people I…love the most." The last part was said almost quietly, and the queen could see that Elphaba was embarrassed. The queen tried to say something, tried to say, "I love you, too," but the words stuck in her throat.

"I-I…Th-Thank you, Elphie. Thank you. I'm flattered," the queen said, and was mentally kicking herself. _Why? Why couldn't I just say it? I know Elphaba loves me, why can't I just tell her that I love her, too? What is wrong with me?_

They stared at each other, both wanting to say what was on their minds, but neither could bring themselves to actually say it.

"Could you, um, help me put it on? I can't really work the clasp with my gloves on," Elphaba finally said.

"Of course, dear," the queen said. She took the locket from Elphaba, opened the clasp, and then placed it around Elphaba's neck. She had the urge to keep her arms around Elphaba's neck, and pull her into a hug, but chose not to.

"There. See? It really does complete your outfit," the queen said.

"Thank you, again, Regina," Elphaba said.

"You're welcome…again," Regina said. "Well, why don't we go back to the castle? It's quite chilly out, and I don't want you catching your death of cold out here." She put her arm around Elphaba's shoulders, and led her out of the stables, with Nox padding along next to them.

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Elphaba sat at a table in the queen's chambers, with Nox in her lap, and watched Dorothy and her companions' progress, through one of the queen's many enchanted mirrors. The girl and her companions were almost to the Emerald City.

"I need to stop them," Elphaba said suddenly, and the queen turned from the open glass doors, leading to the balcony, that she was staring out of. "But, how?" Elphaba wondered, tapping her fingers against her lips. The queen strode over to where Elphaba was, and stood behind her, placing her hands on Elphaba's shoulders. She leaned forward slightly, and stared into the mirror. She watched Dorothy and her companions approach a field of poppies, and an idea formed in her head.

"Poppies," she said simply, knowing that the clever young witch would catch on quickly.

"Poppies?" Elphaba questioned. Then a wicked grin spread across her face as she realized what the queen was telling her. "Poppies! Yes, poppies will do the trick. That'll stop them," Elphaba said. She reached her hand out towards the mirror, and magic flowed out of her fingers, and through the enchanted mirror.

"Sleep," Elphaba whispered. "Sleep." She watched Dorothy and her companions running through the field of poppies, and soon they started to slow. One by one, they dropped, though they tried to keep each other awake. One of the companions, the Tin Man, started to shout for help, before finally succumbing to the poppies. Elphaba threw her head back and laughed. She opened her eyes, and stared up at the queen. "You are so brilliant," she told her, then took one of the queen's hands that was on her shoulder, and gave it a kiss, then a pat.

Suddenly, Nox meowed loudly, and their eyes snapped to the mirror. There was Glinda, using her magic to awaken the troupe.

"No!" Elphaba shouted, standing up abruptly, spilling Nox to the floor in the process. Nox shook himself and looked insulted. Glinda seemed to have heard Elphaba's exclamation of "No," because she looked up just then, her mouth going into a surprised "o" and staring through the mirror into Elphaba's piercing eyes. And, as suddenly as she appeared, she was gone. Elphaba threw her arms up, and started to pace around the room.

"Glinda always helps that girl!" Elphaba shouted, continuing to pace.

The queen picked up a still insulted Nox, and stroked him. "This is all Glinda's fault," the queen said. "If she hadn't been so stupid and selfish, she wouldn't have to worry about protecting that idiot girl. She should have just stayed out of it and let you have those shoes," the queen continues, approaching Elphaba.

"Well, shoes or no shoes, I'm still great enough to conquer her. Shoes or no shoes, I'll still avenge little Nessa Rose, and woe to those who try to stop me, especially Glinda," she vowed.

"What's your next plan of action?" the queen asked.

"I think it's time to make a trip to the Emerald City," Elphaba said. "If Glinda is so adamant about protecting Dorothy, then I'll give Dorothy the chance to surrender, and hand over the shoes. If she doesn't, THEN I'll take them by force. I'll pry them off her cold, lifeless feet myself."

"I'm coming with you to the Emerald City," the queen told her.

"No!"

"Yes!" the queen said. "And, don't fight me on this, Elphaba. I'm going with you and we're taking my carriage. And, you will be surrounded by guards."

"I'm not a child!" Elphaba said, stubbornly.

"I know you're not, but I'm not sending you into the midst of them, people who would give nothing more than to see you dead, completely unarmed. So help me, if they harmed you…"

"I…You…Oh, fine!" Elphaba said, stamping her foot.

The queen smiled. "Good girl. Father!"

The queen's father came into the room. "You called?"

"Prepare my carriage. Elphie and I have a little trip to make."

"And, where would that be?" the queen's father asked.

"To the Emerald City, as fast as lightning," Elphaba said.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The ride to the Emerald City in the queen's carriage was long and arduous. _Which is why I prefer travelling by broom, _Elphaba thought, disdainfully, as the carriage went over another bump in the road. She occasionally dozed on the queen's shoulder, something she never would have done if she had been sitting next to anyone else. But, she was exhausted, and the queen always made her feel safe.

The queen glanced down at Elphaba, whose head was resting on her shoulder. Then she glanced down at Nox, who was lying on both her lap and Elphaba's lap. The queen smiled a bit. _This…This is nice…._she thought to herself. She stared out the window, as they progressed along the bumpy roads, and the queen occasionally absently tickled the back of Elphaba's hand, which made it twitch.

Eventually, they came upon the Emerald City, and the queen gently nudged Elphaba awake.

"Elphie," the queen said into her ear, and the young witch stirred and stretched. "We're here." Elphaba sat up, and blinked a few times, while Nox stood and stretched.

The carriage glided up the yellow brick road, and Elphaba's heart pounded as they entered the Emerald City. Passerby eyed the queen's carriage curiously, along with the guards and their black horses.

Elphaba felt her back straighten, and her chin lift, as she glared at them through the window of the carriage. She was the Wicked Witch of the West, and she was a force to be reckoned with. In addition, she was allied with the Evil Queen, which made her more fearsome and more intimidating.

They approached the palace of the Wizard, and Elphaba noticed that there was some kind of celebration going on. _Oh, goody, _she thought sarcastically. _They're celebrating Dorothy and the other idiots reaching the Emerald City. With my shoes…._she thought, her fists clenching, and her knuckles turning a lighter shade of green. The queen must have noticed, because Elphaba felt her hand close over her own, and she slowly unclenched her fists, though her angry scowl remained. Elphaba felt the queen's fingers slip into her hand, and Elphaba realized that she was attempting to hold her hand. _She's reassuring me, _Elphaba thought, and opened her hand a bit more. The queen gave her hand an affectionate squeeze, as the carriage came to a halt in front of the Wizard's palace.

"I'll go out, and tell Dorothy to surrender," the queen said.

"No! They'll think I'm weak or some kind of a joke if I don't do it myself. They'll think I've become a coward."

"Or, they'll realize that you're allied with the queen, and then they won't think twice about surrendering," the queen told her. "You're the Wicked Witch of the West. You're a force to be reckoned with."

"Fine," Elphaba relented.

The queen playfully chucked her under the chin. "Don't be mad," she said, then pouted and batted her eyes.

Elphaba sighed and rolled her eyes, forcing her mouth into a thin line to keep a smile from crossing her face.

The queen patted her knee, and then got out of the carriage. Elphaba scooted closer to the window, and watched as the queen's guards announced her presence, and saw the crowd gasp and shrink back.

_Peasants, _Elphaba sneered. _They don't even have the courtesy to bow. _She stroked Nox, and watched the queen strut towards the crowd.

"It's the Evil Queen!" someone in the crowd exclaimed.

"W-What do you want with us?" the Scarecrow asked.

"I don't want anything with you," the queen snapped. "My business is with Dorothy."

"How do you know about Dorothy?" the Tin Man asked.

"Let's just say the Wicked Witch of the West is an…acquaintance of mine," the queen said. "And, I know you have her shoes," she added, turning to Dorothy. "And, she wants them back."

"B-But Glinda…" Dorothy began.

"I don't care what Glinda told you," the queen snapped. "The shoes you are wearing belong to the Wicked Witch of the West. Now," the queen added, "if I had it my way, I would kill you on the spot and take the shoes. But, the Wicked Witch has chosen to give you the opportunity to surrender."

"Surrender?" the Scarecrow asked.

The queen slowly closed her eyes, and heaved a frustrated sigh. _Must I repeat myself for these idiots? _"Yes, surrender. Or, die," she said with a shrug. "It's your choice."

"We'll never surrender!" the Scarecrow exclaimed, before anyone else could answer.

The queen laughed. "I should have expected as much from something that doesn't have a brain."

"Don't you be so mean to him, you wicked, wicked…" but before Dorothy could finish, the queen flicked her hand, and Dorothy was knocked backwards.

"Such disrespect will get you killed," the queen said, and strode away as Dorothy was helped to her feet by her companions.

The queen entered the carriage, only to be greeted by a seething Elphaba.

"I'll kill them! I'll kill them all! How dare they speak to you in that way! They didn't even bow to you!"

"Calm down, dear," the queen said, settling down next to Elphaba.

"They need to learn some respect!" Elphaba said, as the carriage lurched forward. "Stop the carriage! I want to kill them!"

"Elphie!" the queen shouted. Elphaba immediately grew quiet. "Have you forgotten your plan?"

"No," Elphaba mumbled, sitting back and crossing her arms. The queen patted her knee again, and for a while they sat in silence as the carriage set off towards the Enchanted Forest.

"Thank you," the queen said suddenly.

"For what?" Elphaba asked, still looking out the window.

"For wanting to stand up for me," the queen said. "I don't often encounter people who want to stand up for me….In fact, no one has ever stood up for me."

"Not even your father?" Elphaba asked, turning to look at her.

"No," the queen said with a sigh. She wasn't looking at Elphaba, but Elphaba still noticed the tears in her eyes.

Elphaba stared down at her lap, and stroked Nox, not sure whether she should comfort the queen or not. "No one has ever stood up for me either," Elphaba admitted. "Well, Nessa Rose always did, but before she was born, I was…alone," Elphaba told her. "Once, when Glinda and I were children, a group of her friends were teasing me because of my green skin, and they shoved me down into the mud. They laughed, and Glinda did nothing, of course. I ran to our mother, and told her what happened, thinking that she would at least reprimand those kids. I wasn't even expecting her to comfort me, though that's what I wanted, desperately. Instead, she told me it was my fault, that I shouldn't have instigated it. I did NOTHING," Elphaba said. "I was just playing in my garden, the one thing my mother let me have. I spotted a really colorful gecko, and I wanted to catch it. They're so fast, so I just scrambled after it. And, that's when I encountered Glinda's friends," Elphaba told her. "I was so angry at my mother, because she wouldn't believe that I was innocent, that I kicked her. That was a bad move, of course, because the next thing I knew, I was being dragged by my hair into my room. She locked me in there, and I didn't even get any dinner. And, Glinda never said anything, of course." She felt the queen looking at her, but she continued staring down into her lap, and stroking Nox. "There's not a whole lot of justice in this world, you know," she added, quietly.

"I'm so sorry," the queen said, and Elphaba thought that her voice sounded a little strained.

Elphaba shrugged. "You shouldn't be sorry. It's not like any of that was your fault."

"I know. But, I'm still so sorry that that happened to you. People can be cruel."

"Even mothers?" Elphaba asked.

"Yes. Even mothers." They rode on in silence, and at one point, the queen looked over, and noticed that Elphaba had tears in her eyes. Without saying anything, she put her arm around the young witch, and pulled her to her. Elphaba sighed, and the queen felt her relax against her. Then, the girl grew quiet, and the queen didn't have the courage to see if she was crying.

"Elphaba…I…er…um…." The words seemed to catch in her throat, and she couldn't manage to say just three simple words.

"I know," Elphaba said.

"Good," the queen sighed, and rested her cheek against Elphaba's hair as they rode through the Enchanted Forest, and back to the castle.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxx

Elphaba sat in front of one of the enchanted mirrors again, watching Dorothy and the troupe's progress back through the Haunted Forest.

"So, they plan to kill me," Elphaba said to the queen.

"Yes, I saw the Wizard tell them to kill you, and bring back proof of your demise," the queen told her. She had watched their conversation with the Wizard of Oz through one of her mirrors, and she had become infuriated at the idea of them coming here and trying to kill Elphaba. _I'll kill them, before they even get close enough to touch her. If I have to destroy all of Oz to do so, then I will. I'll rip Dorothy's heart out, and crush it in front of her friends._

"Well," Elphaba began, pulling the queen out of her thoughts, "let's see how strong their desire is to kill me, after I'm done with them. Guards!" Elphaba yelled.

Two of the guards walked in. "Yes, m'lady?" the one named Claude said, with a bow.

"Bring me my flying monkeys," Elphaba commanded.

"As you wish," Claude said, as he marched off with the other guard.

"What are you planning?" the queen asked, when the guards left.

"I'm going to bring Dorothy here," Elphaba said.

"What?!" the queen exclaimed. "They've been told to kill you, and you want to bring them here? So they can hurt you?"

"Just Dorothy. The girl by herself is no threat. She can't even use magic, and I highly doubt she knows how to wield any weapons. She's far too weak and stupid. If I separate her from her friends, and bring her here, she won't be any trouble. I can force the shoes off of her feet," Elphaba said.

"Fine," the queen said. "At least that reasoning makes me feel better."

"You were worried about me," Elphaba said, turning to look at the queen, with a grin on her face. "How sweet."

"Oh hush," the queen said with a glare, though she couldn't help the smile creeping onto her face.

Just then, the doors to the queen's chambers opened, and the flying monkeys scurried into the room.

"Hello, my darlings!" Elphaba said, as she went over to the flying monkeys, scooping a couple of them into her arms. Though she had taken them from their home, she had still managed to bond with them, and made sure they were well taken care of. Because of her kindness towards them, the flying monkeys grew to love her. She was the Wicked Witch of the West, but she had always liked animals far more than people.

"I have a job for you, a mission," she told them. "I want you to go to the Haunted Forest, and bring me Dorothy Gale. Do what you want with the others, but I want the girl alive and unharmed. They shouldn't give you too much trouble, they're far too stupid."

"I'll send some of my knights on ahead to take some fight out of them," the queen said.

"Good idea," Elphaba told her, with a grin.

"Claude," the queen said. "Take some of your men, and go to the Haunted Forest. Don't harm the girl, just tire her out. I don't care what you do to the others. But, make sure they don't go anywhere, until Elphaba's flock gets there."

"Certainly, your majesty," Claude said, and left to gather some knights.

Elphaba looked back at her flying monkeys. "Do you understand? I want the girl, and I want her alive. Bring her back here, promptly, and you will be rewarded. And, take special care of those ruby red shoes, I want those most of all!" Elphaba told them. She set down the two flying monkeys that were in her arms. "Now, fly!"

They took off towards the open glass door that led to the balcony, and once they were outside, they launched themselves into the air.

Elphaba and the queen walked out onto the balcony, and stood there, watching the flock's progress. Nox jumped up, and perched on Elphaba's shoulder, with one of his paws on the queen's shoulder. The three of them stood there, watching the flying monkeys soaring towards Oz and the Haunted Forest, as the sky began to grow dark and ominous.

(Author's Note: Here's Chapter 18! Ah, poor Elphaba is so emotionally damaged. Both of them are. And, both of them simply just want to be loved. They're both so desperate for it. And, although Nox is gone in Storybrooke, he'll still be around in the fairytale land chapters. Sorry that this took a while, I try to write a much as I can, but college does keep me busy. Not to mention, my grandmother just got out of the hospital last week, and I've been sick. Stuff happens. I am working on Chapter 19, which is going to be REALLY good. Oh, and as an added note, I just started reading "Out of Oz" by Gregory Maguire. It's about Elphaba's granddaughter, Rain! Aaahhh! So excited. Of course, my mind has a hard time remembering that my versions of Glinda and Elphaba aren't quite the same as Maguire's Glinda and Elphaba. Anyway, review, review, review. And, happy reading! Oh, and P.S. Cora and Regina together in Storybrooke?! Have you seen the pictures of Cora in modern day clothes?! Aahhh again! Definitely gives me ideas for the chapters in the sequel.)


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19: Days and Nights has Thirty-One**

_ She walked along with Daniel. 'If we ever have kids, what do you think we should name them?' he asked her._

_ 'Hmmm….Henry, if it's a boy. I'd really like to name him after my father.'_

_ 'What about a girl?' Daniel asked._

_ 'I don't know. Maybe something that has to do with nature. I've always really liked the name…' but the name was muffled._

_ A flash, and Regina was under the apple tree at King Leopold's castle. She cradled her pregnant belly. 'I can't wait to meet you,' she said to the baby growing inside of her. 'I wish your daddy could meet you, but he can't,' she said, and felt her throat constrict. Tears stung her eyes, but she refused to cry._

_ The baby shifted and kicked. 'It's okay, I'm okay,' she said, caressing her belly. She felt a little hand press against her hand._

_ 'I think, maybe, you'll be my happy ending,' she said with a small smile._

_ Another flash. She was lying in bed, the day after she had been told her baby had died. Her little baby girl. She had no motivation to move, and she hated how empty she felt. All I wanted was to raise my baby. If I couldn't have Daniel, why couldn't I have her? Why couldn't I have our baby? I didn't even get to tell her her name. My beautiful little baby—_

Regina jolted awake, and for a second didn't remember where she was. Then she blinked, and realized she was at home in her bed. And…someone's face was pressed into that spot between her shoulder blades. She looked over her shoulder, and saw long dark hair…

_Rowan! Oh, that cannot be a comfortable position. _Rowan's face was pressed against her upper back, between her shoulder blades, and Regina wondered if the girl could even breathe. Her body was angled away from Regina, and her hands were balled into fists, and pulled against her chest. The blankets had been completely kicked off of her.

Regina didn't know how she felt about having Rowan's face mashed into her back. She hated being touched when she slept, although when Henry was little, she didn't mind him snuggling against her when he was sick or had a bad dream.

_That seems like so long ago, _she thought. The flashes of the dream were still fresh in her mind, and she just wanted to cry. Her baby girl wouldn't have grown to hate her, like Henry had. _I wouldn't be in this position if my baby hadn't died. I wouldn't even have enacted that curse. _But, life had never worked out the way that Regina wanted it to.

She was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard a muffled whimper. She looked over her shoulder, and heard another muffled whimper. _Is…Is Rowan whimpering? _She shifted a bit more, and when the next whimper came, a little louder this time, Regina saw Rowan's legs kick. They kicked again more rapidly, and Rowan whimpered again. _She must be having a nightmare!_

Regina turned over, onto her back, and slipped an arm around Rowan, so that the girl's head rested on that spot between her shoulder and her chest. Rowan's hands clenched and unclenched, and her brow furrowed as she whimpered again. Regina stroked her hair. "Shhh, it's okay," she whispered, and kissed the top of her head.

She heard Rowan sigh in her sleep, and the girl's face relaxed, her hands unclenched, and her legs stop kicking. Regina smiled, and looked over at her alarm clock. She realized that she would have to get up soon, and get Henry ready for school, then head to work. She almost didn't want to. She hated the idea of leaving Rowan, especially after the trauma she experienced yesterday. _Maybe I'll just check up on her during lunch. Besides, I can't baby her. She's not a child. Still, though, I know she doesn't want to be alone._

She felt Rowan shift and scoot closer to her. _Poor girl. I hope she remembers soon. Maybe then she won't feel so alone. Maybe I won't feel so alone, either._

Rowan threw her arm over Regina's midsection, and snuggled closer. Regina, more out of habit than disgust—she could never be disgusted by Rowan—stiffened. She lay there, ridged as a board, not sure what to do. _Oh! Oh my. What am I supposed to do? Do I snuggle her back? _Her automatic response was to push Rowan away, but she didn't. And, as much as she wanted to snuggle her back, she was afraid to do so. _I'm not obligated to snuggle her back, _she justified. _She's not my child. _A dull ache settled in her stomach. She though back to the dreams, the memories of her baby. _Too painful! _her mind screamed, and she deftly locked those memories away. She closed her eyes and made her mind perfectly blank. When she opened her eyes again, she looked down at Rowan, who was sleeping soundly against her, and holding onto her as though her life depended on it.

_I guess this is nice. At least someone needs me. _Regina relaxed just a little, and laid there, staring up at the ceiling, her mind tumbling. Now that Nox was gone, would Rowan regress? Would she withdraw so deeply inside of herself that she would never regain her memory? Regina's heart pounded in fear. They had made so much progress, and Regina was sure that Rowan would regain her memory soon. But, what if Nox's death had ruined all of that? _I know Nox still remembered. Now that he's gone, will I lose her all over again?_

Regina absently played with Rowan's hair, her brow furrowed and her mouth in a tight line. _She WILL come back to me, _Regina resolved, her other hand clenched into a fist at her side.

Her alarm suddenly went off, buzzing loudly and making her jump. She slowly disentangled herself from Rowan, careful not to wake her. When she was out of bed, she looked back down at Rowan, and saw that a scowl had formed on her face. She felt the corner of her mouth twitch in a half smile, and proceeded to get ready for the day.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Is she okay?" Henry asked, as he looked at a still sleeping Rowan.

"I hope so," Regina said, as she quickly scribbled a note to Rowan. "But, we'll worry about that later, right now you have to get to school."

Henry shrugged and left the doorway. Regina stared down at Rowan, and felt a small twinge of pain in her stomach. She touched her flat stomach, remembering her dream, and shook her head, pushing the memories away.

She leaned down, and brushed her lips against Rowan's temple, a feather light kiss.

"I'll be back to check on you," she whispered in her ear. "I promise." She paused for a minute before adding, "I-I love…I love you," then giving Rowan a peck on her temple, and quickly exiting the room, feeling like a complete and utter idiot.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rowan awoke, and squinted her eyes against the sunlight streaming through the window. For a moment, she didn't remember where she was, but after she blinked a few times, and looked around, she realized she was in Regina's bedroom. And, with that, the events of yesterday came crashing down on her, and she was faced with the harsh reality that Nox was no longer with her. She felt completely empty and numb inside, having spent all of her energy and emotions on being upset yesterday.

So, today, she felt nothing but loneliness. She grabbed Regina's pillow, and placed it over her head, feeling a small amount of comfort from the slight weight against her head. It almost felt like when Nox would lay half of his body across her head. She closed her eyes against the sunlight, but didn't go back to sleep. She just laid there, her eyes closed, listening to the quietness around her. She heard a faint knock on the door, but didn't bother to move or respond.

"Rowan?" she heard, as the door creaked open, and she realized it was Regina. "Rowan, are you awake?" Regina's voice was tentative, almost quiet.

Rowan swallowed back the hard lump in her throat and sighed. "Yeah," she said, removing the pillow from her head and slowly sitting up. "Yeah, I'm awake."

Regina tried to smile warmly, even though her heart broke for her. "I brought you something," Regina said, handing her a bowl of ice cream.

"You know I'm lactose intolerant," Rowan said.

Regina held out her hand, and in it were two oval shaped white pills. "They're lactase enzyme supplements. They help to break down the dairy," Regina said. She held out her hand, and Rowan took the pills.

"Would you like a glass of…" but Rowan dry swallowed the pills. "I guess not…" Regina said, and thrust the bowl of ice cream at Rowan. "Eat. Ice cream seems to make people feel better when they're unhappy."

Rowan took the bowl of ice cream, the coldness seeping through the bowl and into her hands. The ice cream was just plain vanilla, but Regina had drizzled chocolate syrup on top, and added multi-colored sprinkles. Rowan took the spoon, slowly scooped up the ice cream, and put it in her mouth, enjoying the coldness of it as it stung the roof of her mouth, and slid down her throat, chilling her whole body.

She felt Regina sit down on the edge of the bed, and felt Regina's fingers smooth back her messy hair.

"How are you feeling?" Regina asked.

Rowan shrugged. "Numb," she said, as she scooped another spoonful of ice cream into her mouth.

"That's understandable," Regina said. _God, do I know how THAT feels. _"Did you see the note I left you?" Regina added.

Rowan looked at her, her brow furrowed, and shook her head. Regina reached over to the nightstand, took the note, and handed it to Rowan.

Rowan read the note:

_Rowan,_

_ I had to take Henry to school. I'll stop by to check on you around lunchtime. Don't worry about work, I'm giving you the day off. Make yourself comfortable and try to recuperate. Help yourself to anything in the kitchen._

_ Call me if you need anything._

_ ~R. _

"I'll give you tomorrow off, too," Regina said. "Or, the whole week, if you'd like." She paused. "And, you can stay here, as long as you want."

"Where would I sleep?" Rowan asked.

"I have a guest room you could stay in. I know you don't want to be alone, and I can imagine that you wouldn't want to put up with your insufferable twin after losing Nox." Regina watched Rowan, but the girl remained silent, staring down into her bowl of ice cream.

"Of course, you're not obligated to stay," Regina added quickly.

Rowan finally looked up at her. "You don't have to do any of this for me."

"I know," Regina said, caressing Rowan's knee with her thumb. "But, I know what it's like to lose someone you love."

"Really?" Rowan asked.

"Mmhmm."

"What…What was his name?" Rowan asked.

Regina hesitated before answering. "Daniel."

_Daniel…_Rowan thought, feeling a strange twinge in her stomach, and not understanding why. She saw tears in Regina's eyes, and actually felt her heart break.

She scooped up a spoonful of ice cream, and thrust it at Regina. "I heard ice cream makes people feel better when they're unhappy," Rowan said, the corner of her mouth twitching.

"I'm not that fond of ice cream," Regina said, her mouth twisting in disgust.

"Well, it's going to drip on your nice bedspread if you don't eat it," Rowan said. Regina sighed, and took the spoon of ice cream into her mouth, feeling the coldness seep through her body.

Rowan took the spoon out of Regina's mouth. "Do you still dislike ice cream?" Rowan asked.

Regina shrugged. "I supposed it's nice."

Rowan smiled, and for a while, they sat there in silence. Rowan ate her ice cream, occasionally sharing it with Regina, who allowed the girl to feed her the ice cream. _Ice cream is kind of nice, _Regina thought. _And, we're…bonding._

When the bowl was empty, Rowan reached over and set it on the nightstand.

"Well, I guess I should go," Regina said.

"Do you have to?" Rowan asked.

"I have work to do," Regina said. "However, I could come back in a couple hours. Henry gets out of school around that time, so I could check on you then," Regina suggested.

"Okay," Rowan said.

"I promised you that you wouldn't be alone, and you won't," Regina said, cupping the side of Rowan's face with her hand.

"Thank you," Rowan said, with a faint smile.

Regina had the urge to plant a kiss on Rowan's forehead, but chose not to.

"Take care, dear," Regina said, patting Rowan's knee. She stood up, and looked back at Rowan who sat there forlornly. Regina opened her mouth to say, "I love you," but the words caught in her throat again. _Will I ever get used to saying it? _Regina thought.

She walked out of the room, down the stairs, and out of the house, hoping that Rowan would be alright by herself.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rowan didn't know how long she sat there, after Regina left. She had no motivation to get up. _I wish Nox was here, _she thought. _Then I wouldn't feel so alone. _She spotted Regina's full length mirror across the room, and she stared at it, catching her reflection in the glass. _I'm not who I think I am, _suddenly sprung into her head.

She got out of the bed, and stared at herself in the mirror, her hair a mess. She tilted her head and regarded herself. _I'm not who I think I am. _She didn't know why she kept thinking this. Then, she remembered the silent conversation she had with Nox. _I was talking to him about Regina, and how it felt like I knew her, and he kept kneeding my chest. _She remembered the slow blink he gave her. She remembered his first reaction to Regina.

_He knew something I didn't know. I think he was trying to get me to remember something. _Rowan continued to stare at herself in the mirror as a dull ache settled behind her eyes. _Oh Nox, why did you have to die? _

She closed her eyes and shook her head. _I need to do something, otherwise I'll go crazy…if I haven't already._

Rowan turned around, and walked over to Regina's dresser, where her clothes were laying on top. She took off the pajamas that Regina had loaned her, and threw on her bra and her black v-neck t-shirt. She was so out of it, so wrapped up in her own thoughts, trying to figure out what it was that Nox was trying to tell her to remember, that she completely forgot to put her jeans back on. Instead, she grabbed the empty bowl of ice cream, and headed downstairs to the kitchen.

She got to the kitchen, rinsed the bowl out in the sink, dried it, put it away, and then stood there, not sure of what to do next. She absently played with her locket, as the headache grew from a dull ache to a slightly more painful ache. Then, she looked down at her locket.

_I want to look at my picture of Nox. I just want to see his face…_

She tried to open the locket, but it wouldn't budge. _Come on…._

She took the locket off, and opened the silverware drawer, determined to pry it open with a butter knife. When that didn't work, she grew frustrated, throwing the butter knife down onto the counter top.

_I just want to see Nox…_she thought, and started to cry, the droplets of her tears falling on the locket. _Please, just open, _she thought, and clasping the edges of the locket, gave one more pry.

Suddenly, the locket popped open. The headache seemed to intensify as Rowan slowly opened the locket.

When her eyes met the image of Nox staring back at her, she gasped. The picture seemed to move, and she thought she saw Nox blink. But, what really shocked her was a green skinned Tessa staring back at her from the other side of the locket.

Rowan swallowed, and swallowed again, feeling a stab of pain from the headache, her hands starting to tremble.

_Oh my god. Oh my god. What…What the fuck…_

Then, something whispered in the back of her mind. _A third compartment…_

Rowan somehow knew that the third compartment was behind the picture of the green skinned Tessa—_N-Nessa?_—and slipping her finger nail underneath the silver border, popped it open.

And, staring back at her was the queen with Regina's face.

Rowan felt the locket slip out of her fingers, and heard it clatter to the floor.

Her head was spinning, and a sound similar to a tea pot starting to steam and whistle seemed to reverberate through her head as she stumbled backwards out of the kitchen.

She felt herself bang into Regina's dining room table, and put her hands out to steady herself against it. When she felt her fingers brush against what felt like the leather bound cover of a book, she spun around.

Henry's book of fairy tales was sitting on the table, and she didn't know why she hadn't seen it before. _His book. He must have forgotten it at home. That kid always has it with him…_

The pain from the headache tore through her head again.

_Open it! _something urged her, and Rowan got the crazy feeling that Nox was somehow speaking to her.

Her mind was reeling. _The picture of Nox that moved, a picture of my little sister with green skin, and an actual picture of the queen with Regina's face. In my locket!_

_ This whole time!_

_ The queen with Regina's face!_

Her hands scrambled to open the book, seeming to act of their own accord. She opened the book, and the first page she opened it to showed a picture of monkeys with wings soaring through the sky. Spots started to appear in front of her eyes, and in the text Rowan caught snippets of the words _flying monkeys, Dorothy, _and _The Wicked Witch of the West._

It was as though a teapot was whistling loudly—screaming—in her head, combined with a thousand alarm bells going off. Rowan's hands flipped through the pages, and with each picture she saw, similar images flashed through her mind.

Then, she came to a page that held a picture of the queen with Regina's face.

Rowan stared at it, her mouth agape. She was in a hall of some sort, people on either side of her, though they kept their eyes averted as though they were afraid of her. Her hair was in a high ponytail, she was dressed all in black, and her lips were curled into a sneer. Rowan caught snippets of words in the text again.

_Snow White…._

_ Prince Charming…._

_ Wedding…._

_ Evil Queen…._

_ Curse…._

_ Curse? _Rowan thought. Then, she noticed something in the background of the picture, a figure almost hidden in the shadows. The whistling of the teapot and the screeching of the alarm bells grew louder and louder in her head, as she picked up the open book, and brought it closer to her face to see the picture better.

There were two figures almost hidden in the shadows. One of them was a black cat.

_Is that Nox? _Rowan thought, although she already knew the answer. She would recognize Nox from a mile away, and though it wasn't a very detailed rendition of him, she could see his golden yellow eyes, and she knew that look. She knew the eyes staring back at her. _What the fuck….How is he in a book?_

Then, her eyes moved up, to the figure that Nox was standing by.

Almost completely hidden by the shadows, a green skinned witch stared back at her. And, somehow, she knew who that was. After all, she had painted her, and she had seen her reflected back at her, in both dreams and in mirrors.

Something broke inside her mind at that moment, and then everything went dark.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Regina walked through her front door with Henry.

"Go upstairs and start on your homework," she told him, and watched him trudge up the stairs. She walked up the steps in her entryway, hung her coat on a coat rack, and turned when movement in the dining room caught her eye.

Rowan was convulsing on the floor, Henry's storybook splayed open next to her.

"Shit!" Regina gasped, as she rushed into the dining room. She fell to her knees next to Rowan, her legs giving out in fear. Regina immediately turned Rowan onto her side so she wouldn't swallow her tongue, and pulled the convulsing girl onto her lap and into her arms.

_Oh god, Rowan. Oh god. Don't you die on me, don't you dare die on me!_

(Author's Note: Wow, sorry that took such a long time to post! But, I'm a double major, and I had three writing assignments due in the same week: a paper for my Brit. Lit. II class, a profile piece for Magazine Writing, and a feature article for News and Feature Reporting. Oh, and a five page short story. Which makes four writing assignments, jeeze...Not to mention, for one of my other English classes, we have to read a book a week, and this week is "To the Lighthouse" by Virgina Woolf. On top of me trying to read "Out of Oz." Which, by the way, is SO good, so far. ANYWAY, enough excuses. What really inspired me for this chapter was the soundtrack for the movie "Requiem for a Dream." It's kind of a dark movie, so the music can be dark and haunting, and at one point in the movie, the mother is rushed to the hospital, because she's essentially wandering around town uttering nonsense, and the music that's played during that scene fit perfectly with Rowan, when she opened her locket, and discovers the picture of the Evil Queen. So, thank you, Clint Mansell, for creating such lovely, haunting music. I hope you guys enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! My heart literally started to race when Rowan noticed the figures hidden in the shadows of the picture. I hope it did the same for you! Chapter 20 will be equally as intense! As always, review, review, review, and happy reading!)


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20: That will be ere the set of sun**

Regina stood by Rowan's hospital bed. Her stomach was tied in one big knot, and she was more crabby than usual. Dr. Whale had told her that Rowan was in a comatose-like state, caused by the seizure. _Which was caused by the book, _Regina thought. _Does that mean she remembered?_

She held Rowan's locket clenched in one hand. She had found it open on the kitchen floor when the paramedics came. _She saw the pictures. She must have realized it was true. _She knew she should have been happy, but she wasn't. Instead, Regina was gripped with fear that Rowan wouldn't awaken from this coma, and if she did, she might not remember at all.

Regina reached out, and squeezed Rowan's hand. "Oh Rowan, I'm so sorry," she said. When she received no response, not even a squeeze back from Rowan's hand, she sighed, her heart breaking just a little.

There was a knock on the hospital room door. Regina didn't bother to say, "Come in,"—that was the last thing she wanted—and listened as the door slowly opened.

"Mayor Mills?" Regina heard in a voice that she recognized as Arabella's.

Regina heaved a frustrated sigh. "Can I help you?" Regina asked, not even bothering to turn around to acknowledge Arabella, and not letting go of Rowan's hand.

"I just came to see my twin," Arabella said, coming further into the room.

Regina kept her back to Arabella. "Do you know where she's been the past two days?" Regina snapped. "She's been at my house, because she didn't want to go back to your apartment. Do you know why she didn't want to go back to your apartment?"

"No," Arabella said.

"Really?" said Regina. "You can't think of one reason why she wouldn't want to go back to your apartment, and put up with you?"

Whatever Arabella was thinking, she didn't voice it.

"Nox is dead, Miss Jones," Regina told her.

"Oh my god," Arabella said. "How?"

"I don't know," Regina snapped again. "He was found under my apple tree."

"Oh, Rowan must have been devastated," Arabella said.

_Devastated doesn't even begin to cover it, _Regina thought. "You're deduction skills are absolutely astounding, Miss Jones."

"Look, I'm not here to fight," Arabella said.

"How civil of you," Regina said dryly.

"Can…can I just have a moment alone with my twin?" Arabella asked.

"No," Regina snapped. "If you have something to say, Miss Jones, then say it. But, I'm not leaving."

"Fine. I'm not afraid to say what I need to say to her in front of someone else," Arabella said, as she slowly moved past Regina. Arabella stood on the other side of Rowan's hospital bed. Regina made a point to let her see that she was the one holding Rowan's hand, and she wouldn't let go.

Arabella looked down at an unconscious Rowan. "Rowan…." Arabella began. "I…I know I haven't been the best sister, and…I'm sorry. For never standing up for you, and I'm sorry that the one best friend you had, the one thing in your life that you could always depend on, died so suddenly. And, I'm sorry about Tessa. I know how broken hearted you were when she died, and I don't think I was a very good support system. I guess all I can say is that mom and dad didn't really teach me how to be a good sister. And, I'm sorry that they always paid attention to me, and not to you. I guess I should have said something, done something, but I didn't want to defy them, I guess. They always put me on a pedestal and had such high expectations of me, and I was always terrified of disappointing them. I shouldn't have stood by and watched you be neglected. I'm sorry," Arabella told her, managing to keep her composure. She started to lean down to kiss Rowan on the head.

"Don't," she heard Regina say. Arabella froze, and locked eyes with Regina, who was staring daggers at her.

"Leave," Regina said.

"I…."

"Get out!"

Arabella straightened, and walked past Regina. She paused when she reached the hospital room door. "I meant everything I said to her, you know."

"It took your sister going into a comatose state for you to apologize to her," Regina said. Arabella remained silent.

"Just get out," Regina said, grazing her thumb over Rowan's knuckles. _It's okay, dear, she'll be gone soon. I won't let her upset you._

"Do you love her?" Arabella asked.

"I should ask you the same thing," Regina snapped. When Arabella remained silent, Regina sneered, her back still to Arabella. When she heard the door click shut, she released a breath she didn't realize she was holding, and grazed her thumb over Rowan's knuckles again.

"What a silly thing to ask me," Regina said to an unconscious Rowan, her voice starting to soften. "Of course I love you." She set Rowan's locket down on the nightstand next to the hospital bed, and then smoothed Rowan's hair away from her face.

"I'm sorry I never directly told you that," Regina said. "I suppose I was always a little frightened to." She grazed her knuckles down Rowan's cheek, and felt tears threatening to spill over. "But, I do love you. I love you so much it scares me. You and Nox made me feel so happy and loved, and not so alone, and I haven't felt that way in a long time. Not since Daniel." She swallowed back a lump in her throat. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry this has happened to you. Maybe if I had just been honest, if I had just told you everything, you wouldn't be lying here."

Her hand moved to smooth back Rowan's hair again. "I don't want to lose you again. Please wake up."

_True love's kiss can break any curse. But, she's not my true love, Daniel was. And, she's not under a curse. _She looked at Rowan, and her stomach clenched in pain. She thought back to Daniel, and she thought back to the baby girl she had lost. _I can't bear to lose any more people that I love. _Still holding Rowan's hand, she leaned forward, and whispered, "Come back to me, Elphaba," and placed a kiss on the girl's forehead.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Images flashed through Rowan's mind, from childhood, through meeting the Evil Queen. The disconnect she felt from her parents and her twin, the debilitating loneliness she constantly felt. Discovering her magical abilities, and how she seemed to be able to communicate with animals and nature. Vowing to be a good big sister when Nessa Rose was born. Her surprise when Nessa Rose dashed into her shack one afternoon, with her skin enchanted green, telling her that she would call herself the Wicked Witch of the East.

Nox coming into her life, padding next to her in their trips through the woods, and neither of them feeling so lonely anymore, finally having someone they could both trust and depend on.

More flashes, and she was being lead to the queen's carriage, the queen's arm around her shoulders. Living with the queen, their dinners together, the carriage rides, and finally feeling like she had an actually family, with Nox and the queen.

Finding out that a house had been dropped on her beautiful little sister, and the pain and anger she felt when Glinda gave Nessa's shoes away to that girl named Dorothy Gale. Dorothy Gale, who would be the bane of her existence and almost end up killing her.

Then, she came upon her favorite memory.

_The queen was giving her riding lessons, but she was such a natural that she didn't need much instructing. She galloped Lasher around the queen, who was on her favorite steed, Rocinante. _

_ The queen chuckled. "Elphaba, what are you doing?"_

_ "Race me!" she said, as she made Lasher gallop around the queen and Rocinante._

_ "A race? Elphaba, I don't…"_

_ "Oh, come on Regina," she said, halting Lasher a few feet away from the queen. "What's wrong with a little race? Is it because it's not proper," she said, half mockingly. "Or, are you afraid you might lose? I bet Lasher is faster than Rocinante."_

_ Rocinante scraped his hoof on the earth, and neighed, itching for a race with his friend Lasher._

_ "Come on, Rocinante wants to race," Elphaba teased._

_ Before the queen could respond, she took off across the field at a gallop. The next thing she knew though, she heard hoof beats to her left, and realized that the queen was quickly gaining on her._

_ Adrenaline was coursing through her body, and she could feel Lasher underneath her, his legs pumping, and his hooves pounding the earth. She heard Rocinante's hoof beats, closer this time, and she felt a smile tug at the corner of her mouth. The next thing she knew, the queen was next to her._

_ "Never challenge me to a race, dear!" she heard the queen shout. They galloped alongside each other, and eventually Rocinante overtook Lasher._

_ She wore a very large grin on her face as she and the queen tore through the woods on horseback._

There were more flashes, and she was realm hopping, from Neverland, to Wonderland, and everywhere in between, desperate to get back to Regina. Then, one door opened, and she felt her magic being sucked from her as she, Nox, and Glinda hurtled through an unfamiliar world.

She remembered waking up in a bed, her head pounding. She had ended up in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, her name now Rowan.

_Wait…_she thought suddenly. _My name isn't Rowan…._

_ There was something different about this memory._

_ Nox? Nox climbed on top of her, and stood on her chest, staring down at her, into her eyes._

_ Wait, this…this isn't part of the memory. This is different._

_ You're right, Nox told her. He batted her nose with his paw. Well? Do you remember now?_

_ I…yes! Yes, I remember!_

_ Then, what is your name, mistress?_

_ It's…Elphaba! Elphaba Thropp! I'm the Wicked Witch of the West!_

_ And, who have you been looking for this whole time? Nox asked her._

_ Regina! The Evil Queen! Mayor Regina is the queen! I found her! Nox, I found her!_

_ Nox blinked slowly, and purred. I know. Now, it's time for you to wake up, Elphaba…._

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

Regina's lips were still pressed against Rowan's forehead, when she felt her hand get squeezed lightly. She pulled back in shock. _Did…did she just squeeze my hand? _Regina thought, looking down at Rowan's hand, the black nail polish on her finger nails chipped at the tips. _No…that was just a muscle spasm, right?_

She could have sworn she saw Rowan's eyes moving under her eyelids.

Then, she stopped breathing for a moment as she watched Rowan's eyes slowly open. The girl blinked a few times, her eyes tracking around the room, before coming to rest on Regina's face.

"Rowan…" Regina said tentatively.

"Why don't you call me by my proper name?"

Regina gasped, her heart starting to slam in her chest, and the corners of her mouth quivering.

"Elphaba?"

She watched as a very familiar wicked grin spread across the girl's face, and Regina felt a smile break across her own face, a single tear rolling down her cheek.

(Author's Note: Here it is, a lot sooner than I expected. But, I didn't feel the need for it to be that long, since this was the chapter where Rowan...or should I say, Elphaba, gets her memory back. So, there you go! It finally happened! Yay! And, Nox made that little appearance at the end. Anyway, I hope all of you enjoyed reading this particular chapter. As always, review, review, review, and happy reading! P.S. "Out of Oz" is amazing! Oh my god. Still not super far in the book, but it's still amazing nonetheless. Read it when you get the chance!)


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21: Adder's Fork and Blind Worm's Sting**

"What an unexpected pleasure, my dear," the queen said mockingly. "It's so kind of you to visit us in our loneliness." The queen made a pouty face, and Elphaba laughed. The flying monkeys had just brought Dorothy to the castle, and the queen's guards had dragged the girl, kicking and screaming, to a room high up in one of the towers. It was obvious that Dorothy Gale was scared, but neither one of them cared.

Elphaba held a squirming Toto. "What a nice little dog you have, Dorothy. It would be an absolute shame if anything happened to him." She turned to the guard named Claude, who was holding a basket with a lid, and she placed Toto inside. "In you go, Toto."

"What are you going to do to my dog? Give him back to me!" Dorothy said.

"All in good time, my dear," the queen said to Dorothy.

"Oh, please give me back my dog," she pleaded to the both of them.

"Certainly, Dorothy, certainly. You can have your little dog back when you give me the ruby red shoes you're wearing," Elphaba said.

"But, Glinda the Good Witch of the North told me not to!" Dorothy said.

"Oh, I see. You're going to listen to Glinda. Well, they're not Glinda's shoes to give away," Elphaba said, advancing on Dorothy. "They ARE MINE and I _will _have them!"

Dorothy was too afraid to speak, so instead, she just stood there trembling.

"No? Fine," she said, and turned to Claude. "Throw the basket into the river and drown the little mutt!" The threat was really just a bluff, since Elphaba didn't actually want the little dog drowned. Although she despised Dorothy, Toto was innocent, and though she was the Wicked Witch of the West, she liked animals far too much to have Toto drowned.

"No! No! You can have your shoes, just give me back Toto!"

Elphaba almost sighed with relief.

"Don't throw the basket in the river, Claude. I think Dorothy actually wants to cooperate," the queen said sweetly. "Such a good little girl, "the queen added, reaching out to finger one of Dorothy's curls, and Dorothy cringed away from her.

The queen sneered at her. "Well, dear," she said, turning to Elphaba. "Time to claim your shoes."

Elphaba approached Dorothy with a sinister smile. "I knew you'd see reason," she said, and knelt down to take the shoes off of Dorothy's feet.

Elphaba's fingers were inches away from Nessa Rose's ruby red shoes, and she was almost filled with joy, when the shoes suddenly shocked her, a burning sensation travelling through Elphaba's fingers, all the way to her wrists. She hissed, and yanked her hands away. Elphaba leaped to her feet, infuriated, and backhanded Dorothy out of frustration, which only succeeded in hurting her hands more. Dorothy lay sprawled on the floor, dazed from being struck.

"I should have remembered. I should have known it wouldn't be that easy. Those shoes will never come off, those shoes will never be mine, as long as you're alive!" Elphaba said. "But, how should it be done?"

"These things need to be done delicately," the queen said into her ear.

Elphaba looked at the queen, at a loss for ideas. Just then, Toto slipped out of the basket and made a run for it. Claude went to go after him, but Elphaba stopped him.

"Don't! He's not that important. Besides, I'm done negotiating with Dorothy." She turned to the girl. "You will stay up here, in this tower, until I decide just how I'm going to kill you." She picked up a large hourglass from one of the nearby tables, and set it on another table nearest Dorothy, turning it upside down so that the pink sand trickled into the bottom part of the hourglass.

"You've been far more trouble than you're worth. When the sand runs out, you'll meet your end." Elphaba and the queen left the room, ignoring Dorothy's pleas. In a puff of purple and black smoke, they both vanished and reappeared in the queen's chambers, where Nox was waiting for them. He immediately ran to greet his mistress, brushing against her legs, then doing the same to the queen.

"We need to figure out how to kill Dorothy," Elphaba said, ignoring her throbbing hands.

"First," the queen said pointedly, walking over to her chaise lounge, "we need to heal your hands." She sat down, and then patted the spot next to her, indicating Elphaba to sit down.

Elphaba walked over and sat down next to the queen, holding out her hands. The queen gasped, when she noticed the purplish tinge to Elphaba's fingers and palms, and as she delicately held Elphaba's hands, gently examining them, she noticed a few angry welts, too.

"Oh, Elphaba, your poor beautiful hands. They must be throbbing," the queen said.

"The pain doesn't bother me, they just look bad," Elphaba said through gritted teeth, and the queen looked at her with a raised eyebrow. She wasn't fooled.

Elphaba sighed, knowing she couldn't fool the queen, and looked at her with a guilty expression on her face. The queen gave Elphaba a look as if to say, "Don't give me that face," and placed Elphaba's hands in her lap. She placed her own hands very lightly over Elphaba's, and magic flowed from her fingers, the magic caressing Elphaba's hands as the angry welts disappeared. The queen turned Elphaba's hands over, so that they were facing up, and covered her palms, the magic making the purplish tinge disappear and the throbbing subside.

When they were completely healed, the queen examined them again. "There, all better, dear," she said with a small smile, taking one of Elphaba's hands and giving it an affectionate squeeze.

Elphaba actually smiled warmly back at her, and took the queen's hand and kissed the back of it. "Thank you," she said. "_Now _can we discuss ways of killing Dorothy?"

The queen chuckled. "Of course."

"I say we just snap her neck and get it over with," Elphaba said.

"Did you not understand me when I said that these things need to be done delicately?"

"Fine, then you rip her heart out and crush it. Or, at least show me how to and I'll do it."

"I think you're missing the point of 'delicately'," the queen muttered.

Elphaba heaved a frustrated sigh. "Well, then, what about poisoning her?" she proposed.

"You know, that could work," the queen said. "The question is, how do we go about doing it?"

"I assume holding her down and pouring the poison down her throat wouldn't work," Elphaba muttered.

"No, dear, it wouldn't," the queen said, starting to grow exasperated with the girl, but forcing herself to stay patient. _We're both just growing tired and cranky._

"I suppose we could slip it into her food, but I doubt she would eat anything we give her. Unless she really is that much of an idiot," Elphaba said.

"We can't rely on her idiocy, though," the queen muttered.

Elphaba let out another frustrated sigh, and started to pace the room. "I should just kill Glinda!" Elphaba exclaimed suddenly. "This is all her fault! If she hadn't stuck her nose into my business, I would have Nessa's shoes. Nessa would have wanted me to have her shoes. But, no, Glinda had to meddle in my affairs. She, SHE, should be the one locked in that tower. She should be the one watching the sand in the hourglass run out as I decide her fate. She should be the one who dies," Elphaba said. "Not Dorothy. Not an innocent girl who SHE pulled into the middle of this." Then, suddenly, Elphaba grew quiet, her emotions in conflict with one another.

The queen stood and approached her. "What's the matter, dear?" she asked.

"I just…I don't know! I want to kill Glinda, but…I …she's my twin, Regina, my twin! And, I want to kill Dorothy…I do! But, I just want Nessa's shoes back! That's all I've wanted this whole time!"

"So, what do you want to do?" the queen said, and though she would have found this indecisiveness to be a weakness in most people, she didn't see it as a weakness in Elphaba. Neither of them actually enjoyed killing people, but sometimes you had to do such things in order to get some respect, some justice. Sometimes you had to kill in order to survive.

"I don't know," Elphaba said, her shoulders sagging. "May I admit something?"

"Of course," the queen said.

"You have to promise, though, that you won't call me weak, or laugh at me, or even taunt me," she said, looking the queen in the eyes. Regina saw a wall go up behind the girl's eyes, knowing that she was preparing herself for whatever cruelty was about to come her way. But, though she was the Evil Queen, she would never be cruel to Elphaba.

"I promise," the queen said, the corner of her mouth quirking up in a half smile.

Elphaba let out a sigh. "I've never actually killed anyone, before. Tortured, yes, many, many times, but I've never actually killed."

The queen was taken aback. "You told me you had. And, you are always ready to kill when you grow angry," the queen said.

"I lied," Elphaba said, staring at the floor with guilt. "I'm so sorry, Regina. I shouldn't have lied to you, but I was so afraid of being seen as weak." She looked at the queen now, and Regina saw a hardness in her eyes. "You think I'm weak, don't you?"

"You're asking me this after I promised I wouldn't call you weak," the queen said.

"You may not be saying it, but I know you're thinking it!" Elphaba snapped.

"I'm not!" the queen said, offended. She drew closer to Elphaba, and grasped her upper arm. "Elphie," she said, but the girl wouldn't look at her. She placed her fingers under the girl's chin, and lifted her chin so that she was forced to look at her. "I promise you, that when I tell you I don't think you're weak, I mean it." She said this quietly, and there was a note of warmth behind her words. She didn't understand why she didn't think the young witch was weak. Normally, she would have, but this time things were…different. No, she wasn't weak, far from it. In fact, the queen thought that she was the bravest young witch she had ever met.

Elphaba stared at the queen, her eyes scanning her face. Elphaba had always been good at reading people, and was particularly adept at being able to tell whether someone was lying to her and tricking her. This was how she had been able to survive a life where she had experienced no justice and never had anyone else she could depend on, except for Nox and Nessa Rose. But, now, she saw no deception in the queen's eyes, no deception written on her face. _Of course she wouldn't deceive you, you idiot! You've been able to depend on her for this long, so why would that change now? _The walls she had put up in preparation for any hurt slowly slid down and she sighed.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I don't know why I'm being so stupid."

The queen cupped the side of her face. "You're not being stupid. I would have reacted the same way. That's how you and I protect ourselves," she said with a reassuring smile. "Come here, you," she added, pulling Elphaba into her arms. Elphaba automatically started to squirm and struggle a bit, and Regina couldn't help but smile. The young witch hated hugs as much as she did. _I always make the exception for Elphaba, though. Elphie and my father, the only two people I allow to hug me._

Elphaba finally stopped squirming, and relaxed in the queen's arms. "Thank you for understanding," Elphaba said. Then, she squared her shoulders, and pulled back, looking at the queen. "I want to kill Dorothy. And, I won't let Glinda stop me. I want Nessa's shoes back."

The queen was about to respond, when they heard shouting in the hallway. They both glanced at the door, and then at each other, before flinging open the door and rushing into the hall.

"What the hell is going on?" the queen demanded to one of the guards.

"The girl is trying to escape, your majesty. Her friends have arrived, and they're all trying to escape," the guard told the queen.

"What?" Elphaba shouted. "You let them into the castle? Are you stupid?" Elphaba shouted again. The guard stared down at her. "I asked you a question!"

"Answer her," the queen said. The guard opened his mouth, but had no answer. With that, the queen ripped his heart out of his chest, and crushed it, the guard falling to the ground with a thud.

Elphaba had a smirk on her face.

"Come, dear. I'll make sure that insufferable girl doesn't escape," the queen said.

They both disappeared in a swirl of purple and black smoke, and reappeared on one of the staircases in the castle. They watched Dorothy and her troupe dash past.

"Get them!" the queen shouted to her guards, and the guards raced after them. "Kill them if you have to!" she shouted after them. "No one angers my Elphaba," she added under her breath. "No one."

Elphaba started to race down the stairs, but the queen caught her by the elbow. "Where do you think you're going?"

"I'm going after them," Elphaba said.

"Not yet," the queen told her. "Wait until the guards have them cornered, and then they're all yours."

Elphaba huffed and crossed her arms, and the queen pulled her against her side. "I think you're just worried that they'll try to kill me," she said, even though she felt comfort in the weight of the queen's arm across her shoulders.

"That's not entirely untrue," the queen said quietly, giving Elphaba's shoulder a squeeze.

"You're lucky I like you so much," Elphaba muttered, hiding the fact that she had almost said "love" instead.

The queen gave a small smile, but then her face grew serious when one of the guards came racing back to them.

"Your majesty, we have them cornered on the parapet,"

"Good," she said to him, then looked at Elphaba. "Go." And with that, the young witch vanished.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Elphaba appeared on the parapet, broom in hand. "So, you thought you'd come here and kill me, did you?" Elphaba said with a laugh. "Well, I'm not the one who's going to die tonight. The last to go will see the first three go before her, to suffer watching the deaths of those she loves!" Elphaba cackled. _Just like how I had to watch those shoes be stolen from my sister's feet. Just like how I had to watch her die because you dropped your house on her. _"And, I think I'll start with you, Scarecrow," she said with a wicked grin. She took the end of her broomstick, the end with all the bristles, and held it over the open flame of one of the torches. When the end of the broom was alight, the fire licking the end of it, she thrust it at the screaming troupe, and caught the scarecrow's arm on fire.

Elphaba roared with laughter, but it suddenly caught in her throat when she felt herself doused with water. She started to scream as if felt as though her skin was on fire, intense pain shooting through her body. Right when her legs were about to give out, she felt someone catch her around the waist, and everything spun around her as she was engulfed in a cloud of magic.

(Author's Note: Yay! Chapter 21, finally! It took a while because I've been busy, but I was finally able to finish it because i'm on Spring Break. Hopefully the next chapter won't take as long, but we'll see. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I enjoyed showing a more vulnerable and human side to not only Elphaba but also the Evil Queen. And, I'm currenly re-watching season 1 so that I can tie the Storybrooke chapters into the events of Season 1 better, now that Rowan has her memory back. As always, happy reading, and review, review, review. I love hearing what you guys have to say. Oh, and hello new story followers! *waves*)


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22: Where hast thou been sister?**

Regina couldn't help but smile, as she wiped away the tear that had traced its way down her cheek. Her Elphaba was back, finally back. She had back her friend, her partner in crime.

She felt her throat constrict as another tear escape. "Oh, Elphie," she said, cupping the girl's face. "My dear Elphie," she said, and peppered her face with affectionate kisses, not stopping to think about how ridiculous she must have looked because she was just so overcome with emotion.

Elphaba squirmed, trying to twist away from her. "Stop! Stop kissing me!" she demanded, though the former queen didn't detect an ounce of anger in her voice. In fact, she could have sworn that she had caught just a hint of laughter in the girl's voice.

She stopped peppering her face with kisses, and pulled back, looking at a reawakened Elphaba with an amused smile. Elphaba had scrunched her face up in her trademark scowl.

She huffed. "Did you have to do that? I'm still the Wicked Witch of the West, you know. Just because you couldn't control yourself doesn't mean you had to steal my dignity by planting your kisses all over my face," she said, glaring at Regina.

Regina let out a laugh, and Elphaba crossed her arms, looking offended.

"You know what my favorite thing about you has always been?" she asked her. Elphaba kept her arms crossed and looked away from her, though Regina knew this was just the girl's way of being playful.

"Oh, not speaking to me, hmmm?" Regina said, teasingly. "Well, no matter. I'll tell you anyway. My favorite thing about you has always been how moody you are. You just woke up from a coma and you're already being a little sourpuss," she said with an amused smile.

Although Elphaba had her face turned away from Regina, the former queen knew she was grinning. Regina reached out and stroked Elphaba's hair, Elphaba who used to be Rowan. "I've really missed you."

This time, Elphaba turned to look at Regina, and the girl had tears in her eyes. "I've really missed you, too." She wanted to tell her more, tell her how she had spent so long going from realm to realm trying to find her, almost losing hope entirely, and how happy she was that she had finally, FINALLY, found her. She wanted to tell her how overjoyed she was to have her back in her life, and she just wanted to hug her and never let her go.

But, the words caught in her now constricting throat, and Regina understood as she brushed Elphaba's long side-swept bangs out of her face. They both had a million things to tell each other, but now was not the time.

The door to Elphaba's hospital room opened and Dr. Whale came in. "Oh! You're conscious. Madame Mayor, you should have told me the minute she woke up," Whale said, walking over to Elphaba's hospital bed.

"She hasn't been awake that long, and I thought it wouldn't be wise to suddenly abandon her after waking up from a coma," Regina said.

"Well, you still could have buzzed the nurse's station," Whale said, moving to the other side of Elphaba's bed.

"Are you going to check her vitals or are you going to keep reprimanding me?" Regina snapped.

"My apologies," Whale said, and Elphaba caught the sarcasm in his voice, and wanted to strangle him. She glared at him as he checked her vitals, not trusting him one bit, and felt Regina's finger brush over the back of her hand. She looked at the former queen, and saw a look in her eyes that said, "Don't worry. I'm here."

Elphaba felt her face soften a bit, then, remembering herself, glared at the former queen—playfully of course. She watched an amused smile form on Regina's lips and Elphaba pursed her lips, fighting against the smile that was forcing its way across her mouth.

"Well, your vitals look good, Miss Jones, but I'd still like to keep you one more day for observation," she heard Dr. Whale say, and she glowered.

"I feel fine, I want to go home today," she snapped at him.

"I understand, but you did have a seizure, and you were in a comatose state for several hours. We need to make sure that doesn't happen again," Whale told her.

"It won't," Elphaba snapped.

"We don't know that, which is why I'd like to keep you one more day," he said.

Elphaba grew frustrated and turned to Regina. "Do something," she said. "I don't want to stay here one more day. I just want to go home." _I don't want to stay here alone, _her eyes said.

"Doctor Whale, I'd like her released into my care," Regina said.

"I'm not sure…"

Regina put her hand up to stop him. "I want her released into my care. I'll be able to monitor her, and if she shows any further sign of illness, or if she has another seizure, then I'll bring her back to the hospital. But, regardless of whether I have your full approval, those release papers are getting signed."

Elphaba smirked and looked at Dr. Whale as if to say, "What now, asshole?"

Dr. Whale stared at the mayor, and the mayor stared back. To Elphaba, it seemed to be a bit of a stand-off, and she had no doubt the former queen would win.

Finally, Dr. Whale relented. "Fine. I'll get the paperwork."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Elphaba sat on the edge of her hospital bed, waiting for Regina and a change of clothes. When the paramedics had taken her away in the ambulance, all she had been wearing were a t-shirt and a pair of panties, so obviously she couldn't wear _that _out of the hospital. Her fingers tapped the edge of the mattress and she kicked her feet back and forth.

As she waited, alone with her thoughts, the events of the previous day hit her, and she realized that she would never see Nox again. She would never feel the warmth of his fur against her face as he slept next to her head, she'd never feel the weight of his body on her chest, or see him padding along next to her. She'd never walk through the front door of her apartment and see him run to greet her. How was she supposed to go through life without her familiar by her side? Elphaba felt her throat constrict and tears spring to her eyes, but she refused to cry.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the hospital room door, and then it slowly opened. A woman with long blonde hair and a kind face popped her head in.

"Is it okay if I come in?" she asked.

"You're already halfway in," Elphaba simply said.

The woman smiled. "I guess that was sort of a stupid question."

The woman stepped inside, and Elphaba noticed that she had a small stack of clothes in her arms. "I'm Kathryn, by the way. I'm a friend of Regina's. She called me and told me to bring you a change of clothes, so I went by your apartment." She held the clothes out to her and Elphaba took them, eying this Kathryn woman suspiciously. _No, you're NOT Regina's friend. I AM. You know nothing about her. I've spent more time with her than you have. I love her more. _She felt jealousy boiling up inside of her, and she started to hate this woman. _Regina is my friend, not yours, you stupid woman._

"Your sister let me in," Kathryn added. "You know, you two don't look like twins."

"We're just fraternal twins. We're not supposed to look alike," Elphaba said. _Really? THIS woman is friends with Regina?_

"Well, if your sister hadn't told me, I'd think that you two weren't related at all. In fact, I think….No, nevermind."

"What?" Elphaba snapped. "If you have something to say, just say it."

"I was just going to say that I think you look more like Regina. In fact, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were her daughter," Kathryn said.

Elphaba felt as though she had been stabbed in the heart with a knife. "Yeah, well, I'm not that lucky," she said with a scowl. From the moment she had met Regina in the Enchanted Forest, she had felt a strange connection between them, and as their friendship grew, she had always secretly wished that Regina was her mother, that she had been born to the woman known as the Evil Queen and raised by her, instead of the woman who had done nothing but abuse her, neglect her, and act as though she was nothing but a burden. _My life would have been far better if I had had Regina as a mother instead._

"Well, at least you have her as a friend," Kathryn said. "Regina doesn't seem to have a lot of friends. She never mentioned you though, but…." Kathryn kept chattering away, and Elphaba tuned her out. Her patience was being tested, though, as the woman kept talking.

"Look," Elphaba said suddenly. "I'd really like to get dressed so I can finally leave."

"Oh, right, sorry," Kathryn said. "Would you like some help?"

"No!" Elphaba snapped.

"Okay. I'll let Regina know you're getting ready," Kathryn said, turning to leave. "You know, I never asked your name."

"El…er…Rowan. My name's Rowan," Elphaba said, remembering that no one was supposed to know who she really was.

"Well, it was nice to meet you, Rowan," Kathryn said with a warm smile, and then opened the door and clicked it shut behind her.

Elphaba rolled her eyes, and started to get dressed. The outfit that Kathryn picked out was decent. Just dark wash skinny jeans, a black long-sleeved knit top, undergarments, and a pair of gray moccasins. Elphaba had her undergarments on, and her jeans, when the door opened.

"Almost ready?" Regina asked as she entered the room.

"Jeeze, no! I don't even have my shirt on yet!"

"Oh, please, like I haven't seen you with less clothing on before," Regina said, remembering the time she rescued the young witch from the parapet, her skin steaming and burning after Dorothy had doused her with water, and Regina had practically ripped the soaked clothes off of Elphaba in an attempt to save her.

"I know, but you could have at least knocked," Elphaba said, pulling the long sleeved shirt on.

"You'll get over it," Regina said with a shrug.

A grin broke out across Elphaba's face, and she shook her head. She slipped the moccasins on. "Okay, _now _I'm ready."

"Good," Regina said. "Would you like me to comb your hair?"

"No, it's fine, I'll just fix it later," Elphaba said, but Regina had already decided to fix Elphaba's hair with her fingers. Elphaba sighed. "Or not…"

"Hmmm, that'll have to do for now. What about some make-up? I have some lipstick in my purse…" she said, fishing around in her purse.

"Regina, it's fine, I'm not going anywhere special after this." But, Regina already had a hold of Elphaba's chin, and was now applying lipstick to her lips. Elphaba sighed and rolled her eyes, knowing that this woman just had to have her way all the time.

"There," Regina said, admiring her work. She grabbed a tissue from the bedside table, folded it, and then thrust it at Elphaba. "Blot."

Elphaba stared at her. "Really, Regina?" But, Regina just stared at her expectantly. "Oh fine," Elphaba said. She blotted her lips on the tissue. "There, happy?"

"Indeed," Regina said, with a satisfied smirk. "So, are you ready to go?"

"Yes!" Elphaba said, and Regina placed her arm around Elphaba's shoulders, like old times, and led her out of the hospital room.

They walked through the hospital, and out the main entrance. Regina lead Elphaba over to her car.

"Get in," she said, unlocking the car door.

Elphaba opened the door, and sitting in the middle of the seat was a purple gift bag.

"What's this?" Elphaba asked, moving the bag so she could slide into the seat.

"I haven't the slightest idea," Regina said, as she started her car.

"Is it for me?" Elphaba inquired?

"Of course it is," Regina said to her.

"Did you get this at the hospital gift store or something?" Elphaba asked.

"Yes. Now open it," Regina said with a flick of her hand.

Elphaba smiled to herself, as she took the tissue paper out of the bag. When she peeked inside, she saw something black and plush. Her heart skipped a beat as she reached inside and pulled out a stuffed toy black cat, with yellow eyes.

Immediately, tear welled up in her eyes, and her throat tightened. "Oh…oh, Regina…I…he's…."

"I know how upset you were over losing Nox," she heard Regina say, as she stared at the stuffed black cat. "And, I know that you hate the idea of being alone, and without your companion. And, I knew you'd hate sleeping without him. So, I thought it would be nice if you had something to hug at night. Nox was always in your arms or curled up next to you in bed…" Regina paused, biting her lip from the emotions that were surging through her. She missed Nox, too. Yet, at the same time, she felt silly for giving someone such a sentimental gift.

Elphaba was quiet for a moment, as she wrestled with her own emotions. "I love him," Elphaba said, giving the stuffed cat a squeeze. "Thank you."

She leaned over, and gave Regina a very quick peck on the cheek, then looked away embarrassed.

Regina felt herself fill with warmth, and a bewildered smile crept onto her face. Very rarely did she receive a kiss from anyone, let alone a very sweet and affectionate kiss. Even Henry had ceased kissing her. She thought back to the time in the castle when Elphaba had planted a chaste kiss on her cheek, and then scurried off to her bedchambers. She had been stunned, for it had been so long since anyone kissed her or showed her any kind of affection. That had also been the night that she had heard Elphaba say that she really did love her.

"You're welcome, Elphie," Regina said, almost quietly, and for a while neither of them spoke. Regina released the parking brake, and backed out of the parking spot. They drove out of the hospital parking lot.

"So, who is that Kathryn woman?" Elphaba asked after a while, rubbing the ear of the stuffed black cat between her thumb and index finger.

"Just a friend," Regina said with small shrug.

"I thought I was your friend," Elphaba said, as she played with the ears of the stuffed cat, jealousy welling up inside her.

"You are," Regina said, reassuringly. "But, you've been gone for years. You can't expect me to not to try to make at least one friend for all of those years. Storybrooke can be a lonely place, and you know that no one in this town likes me."

"Fine," Elphaba said.

"Are you mad at me?" Regina asked, looking alittle hurt.

"No," Elphaba said with a sigh, feeling guilty. She could never stay angry at Regina. "So, who was she in our realm?"

"Abigail. Prince Charming's fiancée. Of course, he eventually dumped her for Snow White."

"WHAT?! You're friends with _Prince Charming's _fiancée? Or…ex-fiancee? _Snow White's _Prince Charming?!"

"Relax, no one here remembers who they were," Regina told her. "The curse gave them false memories."

"Wait…so, does that mean that Snow…er, Mary Margaret and Charming aren't together in this realm?" Elphaba asked.

"Correct. And, Charming actually goes by David now."

"Well, at least David is a less sickening name than 'Charming'," Elphaba said with a disgusted curl of her lip. "So, does that also mean that Kathryn is actually married to Charming…uh…David, in this realm?" Elphaba asked.

"Correct again," Regina said. "You catch on quickly, my dear."

Elphaba couldn't help but grin at this. She was always happy when Regina praised her. _And, she called me 'my dear.' I'm HER dear. _"Well, at least they won't be 'finding' each other anytime soon. Ugh. 'I will always find you.' Who actually says that? Gag me with a fucking fork."

Regina stifled a laugh. "Yes, I was always of the same consensus." Regina slowed her car, and stopped in front of Elphaba's apartment complex.

"Why are we stopping here?" Elphaba asked.

"You said you wanted to go home," Regina said, confused.

"Right, I want to go home….your home. You told me yesterday that I could stay with you as long as I wanted, and that you even had a guest room that I could stay in. So…I want to go home…with you," Elphaba said.

"Oh. Oh," was all that Regina could say.

"The castle was always my home. What makes you think things would be any different in this realm?" Elphaba asked.

"I…" Regina began, too bewildered to finish.

"I spent so long, hopping from realm to realm to find you, do you really think that now that I have, I'm going to live without you again? Let alone go back to living with someone I despise? I'm not going to let you out of my sight," Elphaba said with a smirk. "Unless, you don't want me to live with you…."

Regina gave a warm smile, and placed her hand over Elphaba's. "Nothing would make me happier than to have you with me, again."

Elphaba couldn't help but smile, a huge grin spreading across her face. She was happier than she'd been in a long time.

"How about we go upstairs and get some of your stuff?" Regina proposed, patting Elphaba on the knee.

She nodded, still grinning, and got out of the car.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Arabella heard someone unlocking her apartment door, and when she saw the mayor and her twin walk through the door, she practically tackle hugged her sister.

"Oh Rowan!" she said enthusiastically. "You're awake! You're out of the hospital! Why didn't anyone tell me?"

"Get off me," Elphaba said, shoving Arabella away from her.

Arabella stumbled backwards, looking hurt. "Rowan! I thought you'd be happy to see me!"

"Really? You really thought I'd be happy to see you?" Elphaba said.

"Well, I'm your twin. And I came to visit you," Arabella told her.

"I don't care! Just shut up," Elphaba finally shouted. She walked past Arabella and Regina followed.

Elphaba opened the door of her room, and stood in the doorway. Her room seemed almost foreign to her now that she had her memories back, and especially more-so now that Nox wasn't there to greet her.

She felt Regina's hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?" she asked, giving Elphaba's shoulder an affectionate squeeze.

"I don't know," Elphaba said. She knew that she didn't have to say any more than that, when Regina gave her shoulder a pat.

They both entered her room, or what would soon be her former room, and set about gathering her things. Elphaba focused on gathering her art supplies, including her easel and canvasses—blank ones and ones that had already been painted on—while Regina focused on delicately folding Elphaba's clothes, and placing them in her suitcase.

"Are there any personal items you'd like to take?" Regina asked.

Elphaba shrugged. "The only things here that are personal to me are my books, my art supplies, and my paintings."

"What about Nox's cat tree?" Regina asked.

Elphaba paused in what she was doing. "I don't…have a cat anymore. So…I have no need for a cat tree."

"Wouldn't you like to keep it to remember him by?" Regina asked carefully, as Elphaba finished putting the last of her books in a box.

"No," Elphaba said. Regina heard the pain in her voice and understood, deciding not to push the issue any further. Regina finished packing Elphaba's suitcase, and she looked over at the girl to see her staring at the boxes, finished paintings, canvasses, and easel with a puzzled expression on her face.

Regina chuckled because the expression was, frankly, quite adorable. She walked over to Elphaba, and tilted her head, regarding her. "Why do you look so puzzled, dear?"

"I just don't know how we're going to get these boxes, plus my suitcase, PLUS my paintings, PLUS my easel, downstairs and into your car in one trip," she said.

"Well, then we can make two trips," Regina said.

"But, I don't want to make two trips," Elphaba said, exasperated. "I don't want to have to come back up here and deal with Gl—Arabella again."

"Why don't you just let me handle her?"

Elphaba sighed. "Fine," she grumbled.

The corner of Regina's mouth quirked up in amusement. "Come on," Regina said, patting Elphaba's upper arm. Regina grabbed Elphaba's suitcase, while Elphaba grabbed her bag with all the bells, and swung it over her shoulder. She made a move to pick up some of the boxes, but Regina put a hand out to stop her.

"No, dear. You just got out of the hospital," Regina said.

"It's fine. I feel fine," Elphaba said. "If I pass out, then I promise I'll let you boss me around for the rest of the day."

Regina pursed her lips, and glared at her for the sassy comment. But, Elphaba was giving her such a ridiculous grin that she let it slide. "Oh, fine," she said to Elphaba, as she grabbed her suitcase and Elphaba grabbed one of the boxes filled with books—in truth, there were only three boxes, one filled with her art supplies, and two filled with books—and piled her paintings plus a couple blank canvasses on it.

They left Elphaba's room, and when they entered her soon-to-be former living room, Arabella jumped up off the sofa. "Need some help?" she asked.

"Yes, she does. You're sister just got out of the hospital, and she does not need to be lifting so many heavy boxes. You should know that," Regina said, pointedly. "So, go grab the rest of the boxes and her easel, Miss Jones."

They didn't even wait for Arabella, as Regina once again placed her arm protectively around Elphaba's shoulders—and shot Arabella a decidedly nasty glare—as they left the apartment, and took the elevator downstairs.

Once outside, Regina opened the trunk of her car, and placed Elphaba's suitcase inside. "You don't have much, so whatever doesn't fit in the trunk can just go in the back seat."

"Sounds good," Elphaba said, hefting one of the boxes of books into the trunk. "Let's put my paintings and canvasses in the back seat so they don't get damaged in the trunk."

They walked around to the side of Regina's car, and she opened the passenger side door, pushing the seat forward. Elphaba made a move to place her canvasses and paintings in the back seat, when she heard the sound of Arabella huffing behind her.

"Wait! Here's the rest of your stuff!"

Elphaba turned, and saw Arabella holding the two boxes with her easel perched precariously on top.

"Can someone help me?" Arabella said.

Elphaba heaved a sigh of annoyance. "Could you hold these, please?" she asked Regina, handing her the paintings and canvasses.

"Of course," Regina said, taking them.

Elphaba trudged over to her twin, and grabbed the top box, along with the easel.

"Idiot," she mumbled, as she put the easel in the trunk with her other box of books and suitcase, and then placed her box of art supplies in the back seat.

"Put that in the back seat," she told Arabella.

Her twin put the box of books in the back seat, and Elphaba took the paintings from Regina. "Thanks," she said, flashing her a grin, as she put the paintings in the back seat. Regina stood next to the open door, and seemed to stand protectively over Elphaba.

When she finished situating the paintings and her canvasses, she pushed the passenger seat back into its proper position.

"Ready?" Regina asked. Elphaba nodded enthusiastically, excited at the prospect of living with Regina again.

"Well then, let's be off," Regina said with a nod. She walked over to the driver's side of the car, and opened the door.

"Wait!" they heard Arabella say again. Elphaba sighed, and Regina rolled her eyes. She was highly tempted to snap Arabella's neck. "What is it now, Miss Jones?"

"I just want to say good bye to Rowan."

Elphaba gave Regina a look as if to say, _Let's just humor her. _Elphaba walked over to her twin, and the next thing she knew, Arabella had attached herself to her, and was hugging her. Elphaba stood there ridged, and held her arms loosely out to the side, not really wanting to hug her back. She wore a look of disgust and bewilderment as her sister squeezed her.

"I wish it didn't have to be this way," Arabella said. Elphaba rolled her eyes. "I hope Regina takes really good care of you, even though we both know that you're very capable of taking care of yourself," Arabella continued. "I hope you find what you're looking for with Regina, whether it's love, comfort, or acceptance. Or family. I'm sorry mom and dad could never give you what you needed. But, I really do hope you find it with Regina."

Elphaba was still bewildered. She wasn't sure if her sister meant any of this—if this was coming from the heart of Glinda, or the mind of Arabella who didn't remember their life in Oz. She turned her head and looked at Regina, silently asking her, _Is she genuine? Does she mean this?_ But, Regina was looking at Arabella as if she wanted to rip her heart out and crush it. Their eyes met, and Elphaba almost gasped at the pain and anger that she saw in her friend's eyes. But, then Regina's eyes softened after a few moments looking at Elphaba, as if she was being pulled out of a trance or some dark memory.

Elphaba tried to smile reassuringly at her, but it came across as more of a grimace, because Arabella was still holding onto her. Elphaba relented, and brought her arms around the other girl, barely touching her, and gave her a feather-light pat on the back.

_Ick. I hate hugs. What the hell is the point of them, anyway?_

"Um…uh…yeah. Okay, whatever. Uh, I guess don't be too sad or something," she said, still puzzled.

Arabella finally let go, and looked at her sister. "Do try to come visit."

"Uh…sure…" Elphaba said, eying her twin. Elphaba had no intention of ever visiting her, but the words coming out of Arabella's mouth were confusing her. _This can't be Glinda talking, can it? If it is, why the hell didn't she say anything like this to me when we were back in Oz? Why didn't she say any of this the first time I left with the queen? No, no, this has to be Arabella talking._

"Are you finished, Miss Jones?" she heard Regina snap. "I'm sure Rowan would like to get going. I know I certainly would."

"Okay," Arabella said. "Take good care of her, please."

"I don't need you telling me what to do," Regina snapped again. "Get in the car, dear."

Elphaba glanced at her twin. "If you even think about trying to give me a kiss good bye on the cheek, or anything else gross like that, I swear I will knock your teeth down your throat," she said, slipping easily back into her anger. She glared at her sister one more time, and then got into the passenger seat of Regina's car, slamming the door shut.

They sped away, from Elphaba's former apartment, and her temporary former life. She leaned back in the seat, and finally began to relax, for once in a long time. She turned her head and gazed at Regina, who glanced at her and smiled warmly.

Regina reached her hand out, and touched Elphaba's, giving her hand an affectionate squeeze. Elphaba turned her hand and squeezed back. Their hands rested like that all the way to Regina's house, neither one of them speaking, and both of them hoping that things would be better from now on.

(Author's Note: Wow, I almost forgot to put an author's note! That shows you how busy I am. Anyway, sorry this took forever to upload, but I had finals, then moved into a new apartment, and then started the first week of summer classes, of which I have three. So, needless to say I have been busy. Enough about that, though. I liked writing the reawakened Rowan/Elphaba, and her dynamic with Regina. And, have you noticed that Rowan/Elphaba seems a lot more happy now that she's back with Regina? She was smiling a lot in this chapter, and that shows how comfortable she is with her. And, I brought in Kathryn because now I'm going to start tying things into Season 1 more. And, that's all I'm telling you. P.S. Chapter 23 will be even better, or at least I think it will be. Hope you enjoyed this one, and I apologize again for taking forever to update. As always, review, review, and happy reading!)


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23: And Now About the Cauldron Sing**

"Was he blind?" Elphaba asked.

Regina chuckled. "No."

"Was he the village idiot?"

"Nope."

"Then, I don't understand," Elphaba said. She was in Regina's kitchen, helping her make her signature lasagna.

Arriving at Regina's home was like arriving at the castle. She knew she was home, because anywhere with Regina was home.

Regina had lead her up to the guest room, and told her that she could decorate it however she wanted to.

"This is your home now," Regina said, placing her arm around Elphaba's shoulders. "You know that you can have anything your heart desires."

"Thank you, Regina."

"No need to thank me, dear. Now, let's get you unpacked."

They had unpacked all of her clothes, and Regina promised to get her a bookshelf and some proper storage containers for her art supplies. Regina told Elphaba that she was free to do her art wherever she wanted, and that she could come and go as she pleased, although Regina secretly never wanted her out of her sight ever again, and Elphaba had no plans to go anywhere anytime soon.

They had tea in her living room, and caught up. Regina listened as Elphaba told her about the realms she had visited in her quest to find her. Regina listened with rapt attention, and felt a twinge of guilt in her stomach as she sipped her tea. Would it have been better if she had brought Elphaba with her to Storybrooke? But, deep down inside, she knew that would have been impossible. Rumplestiltskin's words resounded through her mind: _You know what you love, now go kill it._

_ I did the right thing, _she thought. _For once, I did the right thing._

Regina had filled Elphaba in on the curse, and how lonely she had been in Storybrooke, until she adopted Henry. She told her how she never stopped thinking about her, and how every time she opened her front door, she expected to see her standing there on her doorstep.

They had both started to grow emotional as they sat there on the sofa together, and awkwardly pushed their emotions away. Regina hid in the kitchen for a few moments to collect herself, using the excuse that she was getting them more tea. When Regina had come back into the living room, Elphaba had fallen soundly asleep on the sofa. And, when Elphaba had finally woken up a few hours later, she had a pillow under her head, a blanket covering her, and her new stuffed black cat next to her.

"What don't you understand, dear?" Regina asked, as she added the red pepper flakes to her lasagna.

"Why that Graham dude chose Emma over you. She's not nearly as gorgeous as you are!" Elphaba said. Regina chuckled again, but didn't say anything. She didn't understand why Graham had chosen Emma either. What was so wrong with her that he left her after so many years together?

"I don't blame you for killing him. I would have done the same thing. That was pretty fucking low," Elphaba said, adding the last layer of pasta on top, and watching Regina add the finishing touches to her lasagna.

"Language, dear," Regina said.

"Sorry. So, what did you do to Emma? I _know _you didn't let her get away with that."

"I hit her," Regina said, as she placed the lasagna in the oven.

"Wait, like slapped her or punched her?"

"Punched," Regina said, shooting Elphaba a devious grin over her shoulder.

"Nice!" Elphaba said with a grin.

"I'm glad you approve," Regina said.

Elphaba smiled warmly at her. "So, how long does it take for the lasagna to bake?" Elphaba asked.

"About twenty-five to thirty minutes," Regina said.

Elphaba groaned dramatically. "I'm hungry now."

"Well, be patient," Regina said. "But, since I know that's not your forte, just have an apple."

"I guess as long as they're not poisoned," Elphaba said with a wink. She walked over to the bowl of apples that was sitting on the countertop, grabbed one, and sank her teeth into it. She leaned against the countertop, and her eyes met Regina's as she noticed the former queen was giving her a funny look.

She swallowed her bite of apple. "What?"

"Nothing," Regina said, shaking her head. "I'm just…I'm glad you're here. Storybrooke has been a lonely place without you around." She gave Elphaba a tentative smile, tears glistening in her eyes.

Elphaba said nothing. Instead, she fought against the tears that had snuck into her eyes, and swallowed against her constricted throat. They both stood there, across from each other, fidgeting, wanting to hug each other but not sure how to go about doing it.

"Do you want me to hug you?" Elphaba blurted.

"What?" Regina asked.

"I…um…I mean, do you want to hug me? Because you look like you do. Or, I could hug you. Or, we don't have to hug at all, if that's what you would prefer."

"You know how I feel about hugs," Regina said.

"Oh….right…."

"I've always made an exception for my son, of course. And, you."

"Oh…Oh!" Elphaba said, realizing what Regina had just said. "So…um…who should hug who first?"

Regina chuckled. "Usually people engage in a hug mutually."

"Ok," Elphaba said, and held her arms open, her eyes squeezed shut, and shuffled towards Regina. She heard Regina chuckle again, and then felt a pair of arms wrap around her. Slowly, she opened one eye and then the other. _Hmmm…I have always liked hugs from Regina, no matter how rare. This is nice. _Any sort of affectionate touch was foreign to her. The only other time she had been shown affection, before she met Regina, was when Nessa Rose had been alive. _And Nox…_Elphaba thought. _Two humans and a cat have shown me affection._

"You know, the general response is to hug back," Regina said.

Elphaba slowly brought her arms around Regina, and when she fully embraced her, Elphaba felt her body relax and she let out a sigh. She tentatively rested her chin on Regina's shoulder and hugged her tighter, then felt a little ridiculous.

"I'm sorry, I'm still not entirely used to hugs," she confessed.

"It's okay, neither am I," Regina said, hugging Elphaba tighter. And, as she did, she felt something strange in the pit of her stomach. The memory of holding her baby in her arms for the first time flashed through her mind, and she really focused on the strange feeling in her stomach, and how Elphaba felt in her arms. And then, the strange feeling spread throughout her body, and she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up and goosebumps broke out across her flesh. Because, to Regina, the way her baby felt in her arms and the way Elphaba felt in her arms….

_No…NO. _Regina thought. She broke the hug first, and then cupped Elphaba's face in her hands. She tilted her head slightly, and regarded Elphaba, thinking back to that night when she saw her baby girl's face for the first time, her child with Daniel. Her unnamed daughter's face was etched into her mind, for once a mother sees the face of her child, she never forgets it. Unless you've spent year after year of blocking out any memory of said child.

Looking at Elphaba now, she was captivated by how much they looked alike, and why she never noticed before. _I was so preoccupied with killing Snow White when we were living together in my castle._

It was as though she was looking into a mirror. Almost.

_She looks like me, and she also looks like…._

_ ….Daniel?_

"Regina? What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?" she heard Elphaba ask.

_Just projecting, dear. That's all, just projecting. Just wishful thinking._

"Nothing, dear. It's nothing," Regina said, with a small shake of her head as she slowly removed her hands from Elphaba's face.

"No, there's something wrong. I can see it in your face. You were looking at me as though you were seeing a ghost, and you looked like you wanted to cry," Elphaba said. She gently clasped Regina's hand. "Please tell me what's wrong. Have I done something wrong?"

"No, of course not. You could never do anything wrong," Regina said.

"Yeah, tell that to my mother," Elphaba said. She watched something briefly flicker across Regina's face, and noticed her hand go to her stomach.

"Is…Is there something you're not telling me?" Rowan asked.

Regina sighed. "I guess you should know," Regina said.

"Ok…." Elphaba said, not sure if she really did want to know.

"I had a daughter."

"Had?" Elphaba asked.

"She died shortly after I gave birth to her," Regina said, not telling her the fact that she had been _told _her baby died and by her mother nonetheless.

"Oh. Oh, Regina, I'm so sorry," Elphaba said. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"Well, it's not exactly something you drop into casual conversation. Besides, I spent so many years blocking it out that I guess I fooled myself into believing it never happened."

"Was she…a child you had with Leopold?" Elphaba asked, and the thought of Regina being pregnant with that scumbag's baby made her want to vomit.

"No," Regina said. "She was my daughter with Daniel."

Elphaba gasped. "Daniel?" _Their baby was a product of true love!_

She remembered when the queen had first told her about Daniel.

_The marble floor was cold against her bare feet as she crept along the hall, Nox padding along next to her. She reached the door to the queen's bedchambers and slowly opened it, tentatively entering the room._

_ The full moon shined through the window, and she was surprised when she heard what sounded like soft sobs._

_ 'Regina?'_

_ The queen bolted upright in bed, her long dark hair cascading around her shoulders. Elphaba gasped when she saw her tear stained face. She was even beautiful when she cried._

_ 'What are you doing up?' the queen snapped. 'And, why are you in here?'_

_ The queen's harsh tone felt like a slap in the face to her, and she felt tears spring to her eyes, but held them back._

_ 'Nothing,' she bit out, and turned to leave._

_ 'Wait.'_

_ Elphaba stopped and turned, looking at the queen._

_ 'I'm sorry,' the queen said. 'Please don't be upset with me.'_

_ 'I'm not,' Elphaba said, never able to stay angry at her._

_ The queen smiled warmly. 'Come here,' she said, holding out her hand._

_ Elphaba approached her and slowly took her hand, her green skin in stark contrast to the queen's._

_ 'Could you not sleep?' the queen asked, as she grazed her thumb over Elphaba's knuckles._

_ 'No. Well, I slept, at first, but then I woke up and couldn't fall back asleep.' She neglected to tell her the real reason she had awoken was because of a nightmare that had scared her badly, and that she had sought out the queen in hopes of receiving at least a little comfort. But, she was afraid this would make her sound pathetic and childish._

_ 'You were crying when I came in. I've never seen you cry about anything before.'_

_ 'I often cry myself to sleep,' the queen confessed, as Nox jumped onto the bed purring, in an attempt to comfort the queen._

_ 'So do I,' Elphaba said._

_ 'You do? Why?'_

_ 'You tell me why you were crying first!'_

_ The queen sighed. 'I miss someone. Someone who I loved dearly, who was taken away from me.'_

_ 'The one that you mentioned when you were comforting me after Nessa Rose died.' It was more of a statement than a question._

_ 'Yes. Here, sit,' the queen said, patting the spot next to her. Elphaba climbed onto the bed, next to the queen, and listened with rapt attention as the queen told her about the love she had lost, a stable boy named Daniel, her true love. As Elphaba gazed at the queen, she had a hard time imagining her as a young girl, hopelessly in love with a stable boy. This just made her love the queen even more. And, by the end of the story, Elphaba hated Snow White almost as much as the queen did._

_ 'Well? Why do you cry yourself to sleep?' the queen asked after a few moments._

_ Elphaba shrugged, embarrassed that she didn't have a significant reason like the queen did._

_ 'Tell me. I told you my story, now tell me yours.'_

_ 'I don't really have a story, though,' Elphaba said. 'Nothing as significant as yours. My reasons are just a mixture of things.'_

_ 'Like what?' Her tone was not demanding this time, and instead it was softer._

_ 'Just…loneliness,' Elphaba said with a shrug. She wanted to elaborate, but her throat was already starting to tighten with emotion. Instead, she just hung her head. _

_ She felt the queen give her hand a gentle yet reassuring squeeze, the warmth of the queen's hand enveloping her own._

_ 'I understand. Would you like to stay with me tonight?'_

_ Elphaba nodded. The queen pulled back the covers, and Elphaba crawled under them. They both turned on their sides, their backs to each other, and Nox snuggled between them. With the warmth and purring of Nox next to her, along with the warmth of the queen's body, the loneliness that Elphaba had felt her whole life started to recede just a little._

_ 'Regina?' Elphaba said after a few moments._

_ 'Hmmm?'_

_ 'I have nightmares. That's why I had trouble sleeping tonight.'_

_ She felt the bed shift as Regina turned to look at her, but Elphaba kept her back to her, embarrassed at having just admitted such a childish thing, not having the courage to look her in the eyes._

_ 'You have nightmares?'_

_ Elphaba had been expecting a mocking tone, but the one she was presented with was filled with concern._

_ 'Yes. I've had them since I was a child. So, if I wake you up because I'm in the throes of a nightmare, I'm sorry.'_

_ 'How about I wake you up if you're having a nightmare?' She felt the queen's hand touch her shoulder._

_ 'You don't have to.'_

_ 'I know.' The queen gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze._

_ 'Okay,' Elphaba said. 'Thank you.'_

_ She sighed contentedly and snuggled down into the covers, her eyes slowly closing. She felt the queen lean over and place a feather light kiss on her temple._

_ 'Sleep peacefully, little witch.'_

_ For the first time in her life, Elphaba slept through the night without being plagued by nightmares._

"Is that why you adopted Henry?" Elphaba asked, as the memory receded.

"Yes," Regina said, and Elphaba saw her eyes glistening.

"He doesn't know, does he?" she asked.

"No. No one knows," Regina said, and they were quiet for a moment.

The timer on the oven dinged in the quietness of the kitchen, and Regina pushed herself away from the counter top and walked over to the oven. Elphaba stood there, mildly stunned by the information she had received, and her heart broke for Regina. She couldn't imagine the pain she had gone through, and she wanted to both cry and murder anyone who had ever hurt Regina.

Tugging the oven mits onto her hand, Regina opened the oven, and took the dish of lasagna out, placing it on the counter top, and shutting the oven door. The smell of lasagna wafted up towards her face, and she breathed it in, pushing away the pain that had settled in both her stomach and her heart. She locked away those painful memories once again.

"Come have a look," Regina said, as she pulled her oven mits off.

Elphaba walked over and peered at the lasagna. "It looks delicious," Elphaba remarked.

"And you, my dear, are partially responsible for it looking delicious," Regina said.

"Oh, no, I didn't do much….It's _your _signature dish," Elphaba said.

"_You _helped me make it," Regina said, giving her arm an affectionate squeeze. "Don't discredit yourself."

"I…okay," Elphaba said, a little bashfully. She didn't think she could ever come to terms with someone complimenting her and if anyone other than Regina had complimented her, she would have shot a nasty remark at them, then laughed in their face, because when you've spent you're whole life never being paid any compliments, and instead receiving taunts and insults, being wicked and nasty became a form of self-defense. Even the best of intentions could not be trusted. Regina had been the first person, other than Nessa Rose, to compliment Elphaba and the first time it happened she had been thrown for a loop. Mainly because she hadn't detected any sort of deception or malice in the queen's eyes when the compliment had been paid to her, and all Elphaba had been able to do was stare at her, dumbfounded for the first time in her life.

Regina fished around in one of the drawers for a fork. "You, dear, get to be the first one to taste it, because you helped me make it," Regina said, and scooped up a small portion with the fork, and held it out to Elphaba, with her hand under the fork so that none of the lasagna fell onto her immaculate floors.

Elphaba happily tasted the lasagna. "It's really good!" she said, swallowing. "The red pepper flakes were a really nice touch. Gives it some kick!"

"Exactly my thoughts. Took me twenty-eight years to perfect this," Regina said.

"Well, I hope one day I can cook and bake as well as you do," Elphaba said.

"You will," Regina said. "It just takes time and practice. Besides, you're a natural."

"I guess," Elphaba said with a shrug.

Regina gently grasped her arm. "Give yourself more credit," she said, with a warm smile.

"I'm just still not used to someone complimenting me. You know I don't take compliments well," Elphaba said.

"I know," Regina said. "But, they're not just compliments, they're the truth." She gave Elphaba's harm a squeeze, and watched a light blush rise to her cheeks. "Why don't you go tell Henry that dinner is ready," she added.

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "Oh, right. _Him._"

"Be nice," Regina said. "He's my son."

"Yeah, I know. Even though he doesn't deserve it," Elphaba mumbled. She left the kitchen, and trudged up the stairs to Henry's room.

She opened his door without knocking. "Hey. You. Dinner's ready."

"I have a name," Henry said, looking up from his book.

"I know. Your mother wants you downstairs for dinner."

"I'm not hungry," Henry said.

Elphaba sighed. "Well, I could just let you starve, but I don't think that would make your mom very happy," Elphaba said. "Now, downstairs or I drag you out of your room and carry you downstairs. Your choice."

"Fine," Henry said, putting down his book, heaving himself off of his bed, and walked past Elphaba and down the stairs.

Elphaba sighed again. As she made her way back downstairs, she fought with herself over whether Henry was deserving of her anger.

_He is, _she told herself. _He's an insufferable little brat who has no respect for Regina, even though she raised him for ten years._

_ How could he not love her?_

_ Still though, he's just a kid. Maybe I shouldn't be so angry at him._

_ But, he's had ten years with Regina as a mother. He's been fed really good food, she probably tucks him in, and she probably sang to him and read to him. She did all of the things a mother should do. So what if she's "strict"? I would have given anything, ANYTHING to have Regina as a mother._

_ I love her! Why the hell doesn't Henry? Why the hell doesn't he see how great she is?_

And then, the jealousy hit her in a wave.

_I have spent the longest time looking for her, separated from her, yet HE'S had the opportunity to be with her for ten years! And he doesn't even appreciate her!_

_ It's not fair!_

By the time she got downstairs, she was already worked up and tense, an obvious recipe for disaster. Elphaba walked into the dining room, where Regina was scooping slices of lasagna onto Henry's plate and onto hers.

There was a moment of fear that crept into Elphaba's body, when she thought that Regina was going to forget to scoop a portion of lasagna onto her plate—_She's forgotten you, _her fear whispered, _like everyone always forgets you_—and then Regina finally did, and the biting fear in her chest slipped away, and was replaced with anger. Anger at herself for feeling so stupid and anger at Henry for never being forgotten, for being loved, for having Regina.

Regina glanced up, and saw the severe scowl that had etched its way across Elphaba's face. The scowl caught her a bit off guard because moments ago Elphaba had been happy and her face more relaxed. She gave her a look mixed with question and concern, but Elphaba wasn't paying attention, and Regina watched as Elphaba plopped down in her seat.

Regina sat down, too, smoothing her skirt under her. She decided to break the tension in the room by engaging them in some casual conversation.

"So, Henry, how was school today?" she asked, as she picked up her knife and fork.

"It was okay," Henry said with a shrug.

"Did you learn anything interesting?" Regina asked, grasping at straws, as she took a bite of her lasagna, and watched as Henry responded with a shrug.

"Your mother asked you a question," Elphaba said pointedly.

"We learned the same stuff we learn every day," Henry said.

"Well, you could have said that instead of responding with a shrug," Elphaba said as she ate her lasagna.

"Why do you care?" Henry asked.

Elphaba slammed her knife and fork down. "Because you need to show your mother more respect!" Elphaba snapped.

"She's not my mom," Henry said.

"Yes she is!" Elphaba shouted.

"Rowan, don't yell at Henry," Regina said, remembering to call Elphaba by the name she was known as here. "And, Henry, you know it hurts my feelings when you say things like that."

"I'll stop yelling at him when he acknowledges you as his mother!" Elphaba said, infuriated. She turned back to Henry. "At least she loves you! She may not be perfect, but at least she fucking loves you!"

"Rowan! Watch your language!"

Elphaba ignored her. "You think she doesn't but she does! I grew up with a mom who didn't give a shit about me. I would have killed to have Regina as a mom!"

"Fine, you can have her!" Henry said, and pushed away from the table, got up, and dashed off to his room.

"Hey!" Elphaba shouted, standing up and slamming the palms of her hands on the table.

"That was out of line," Regina said.

"Yeah, well you know, if he was my kid and he was that disrespectful, I'd slap him across his face!"

"Why?" Regina said. "Because that's what your mother did to you?"

Elphaba grew quiet then, and stared down at the table as tears stung her eyes. She felt the warmth of Regina's hand cover her own.

"Just because your mother used to strike you doesn't mean that's the answer to everything," Regina said.

Elphaba stayed quiet for a moment. The angry, irrational side of her told her yes, yes it was the answer, while the more logical side of her told her no, Regina is right.

Yet, these conflicting emotions just made Elphaba more angry and defensive, and she lashed out at Regina.

"Yeah, well, you're one to talk!" she snapped, as she yanked her hand away from Regina and made to leave the room. But, she came to a halt at the threshold of the dining room with a twinge of guilt gnawing at her stomach. She sighed, and slowly closed her eyes, knowing that Regina didn't deserve what she had just said to her, didn't deserve any sort of bad treatment from someone who was supposed to love her unconditionally.

She opened her eyes and turned, looking at Regina, who was staring at her hands in her lap, and looking like a puppy who had just been kicked. Elphaba wanted to claw her own eyes out for making Regina look _that _sad. She hated herself, hated how selfish, and wicked, and _bad _she was. She walked over to Regina, and wrapped her arms around her shoulders, and kissed her on the cheek.

"I'm sorry," Elphaba said, as she put her head on Regina's shoulder, and gave her an affectionate squeeze. "I'm sorry for acting like such a little bitch towards you and upsetting you," Elphaba said, her voice strained from all of the emotion and guilt that was starting to bubble forth. "You didn't deserve the nasty remark I made, and I'm so sorry Regina. Please don't be upset, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, I was just angry." The apologetic words were spilling out of her mouth, and she was stuck between feeling disgusted with herself for practically groveling for forgiveness, and feeling proud of her self for actually apologizing for once in her life and apologizing to someone who meant the stars and the moon to her. She had her face almost buried in Regina's shoulder as she was saying all of this, from both embarrassment and guilt.

She felt Regina's hands on her arms, and for a moment she expected the former queen to push her away and call her pathetic. But instead, she felt the soft skin of Regina's fingertips grazing across her arms in reassurance.

"I never was able to stay upset with you for very long, you know," Regina said, as she patted Elphaba's arm. _You sweet, sweet, lovely girl, you. _She petted the long, dark hair that was draped over her shoulder, and turned her head to kiss the top of Elphaba's head.

"So, I'm forgiven?" Elphaba asked.

"Of course you are," Regina said, kissing her hand this time.

Elphaba sighed contentedly. "Shall we finish dinner?" she asked, with her arms around Regina and her head still on her shoulder. She was getting used to this affection thing, after being starved for it for so long, that now she just sometimes wanted, _needed_, to cling to Regina and never let go, despite how stupid and pathetic it made her feel.

"Yes," Regina said, patting Elphaba's arm again.

She let go of Regina, and sat down at the table, picked up her knife and fork, and started to eat the lasagna that she helped make.

They ate in silence, as they used to do in the castle together, knowing nothing needed to be said and instead just enjoying each other's company.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Regina stood in the doorway of Elphaba's new room, watching her sleep, as the girl clutched her stuffed black cat to her chest, her long dark hair spread out on the pillow. Regina watched her with a sad smile on her face, her hand moving to lightly touch her stomach. _Stop fooling yourself into thinking she's your daughter. My baby is dead and she's never coming back. _She sighed, turning to leave, and then looked back at Elphaba. _She certainly is a good substitute, though. _She blew a kiss to the sleeping form of Elphaba, before clicking the door shut behind her.

(Author's Note: Finally posted! Woohoo! Sorry it took so long, but the summer semester kept me really, REALLY busy, but I managed to finish the chapter and type it up. So, here it is! Hope you enjoy it. I personally really liked the interaction between Regina and Rowan/Elphaba, because they're both so different when they're around each other. And, Elphaba/Rowan seems more happy now that she has her memory back and she's with Regina. Oh, and fun bit of information: I bought Ray Bradbury's book, "Something Wicked This Way Comes," which I'm excited to read, and I also bought "Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister" by Gregory Maguire, the author of "Wicked" and I also bought a bunch of books on folktales/folklore and fairytales, because a part of me wants to get my PhD and maybe teach a class on fairytales and folktales. We will see though. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter, and again sorry it took so long to post. Now that I'm on summer break, I'll probably update more often! As always, review, review, review and happy reading!)


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